Serving makes me feel like a hypocrite

There is the story of a Christian college hosting a speaking competition. Students were to speak about “The Good Samaritan.” Outside the auditorium where the competition was held lay a man, visibly injured, asking for help. Not one student stopped. Once all the students were assembled the injured man, one of the college professors only pretending to be hurt, addressed them. He simply quoted James 1:22 – “Don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.” and then sent them home.

The truth is we are all hypocritical from time to time. To say we were never hypocritical would be hypocritical itself.

I hear it often: “Serving in church makes me feel like a hypocrite.” The truth is:

A hypocrite
– performs “godly” acts for personal glory
– gives people rules they can’t follow themselves
– sees themselves as better than everyone else (A hypocrite says “I AM the best for the job!”)
– lacks self-awareness (Matt 7:5)
– doesn’t think they need to grow
– rarely serves others

The humble
– say “I’m working on it.”
– know their weaknesses
– help people follow God – not man-made rules
– know they will never reach perfection
– serve others

Not serving God makes you more open to hypocrisy; not less.

Can people serve for hypocritical reasons? Absolutely! So ask yourself “Is my serving more about serving others or serving myself?”

Hypocrites humiliate. The humble enhance.

If you are asking if you are a hypocrite – good! Keep asking; then serve!
The day you stop may be the day you become one.