The scripture for today, February 10, is James 2:10 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:
“Out of the same mouth comes praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.”
Do we pray on Sunday and curse on Monday? Do we sing on Sunday and lie on Monday? Do we recite a scripture on Sunday and mock someone on Monday?
On the other hand, do we use this as an excuse not to go to church? Do we refuse to attend because there are hypocrites in the church?
Do we refuse to go to work because there are hypocrites there who talk behind the boss’s back? Do we refuse to go to school because there are hypocrites there who would skip school if they could? Do we refuse to go to sporting events because there are hypocrites there that would literally “kill the umpire” if they could?
Even Jesus had a hypocrite among his 12 Apostles ~ Judas. That didn’t stop him from doing what was needed to save us from hell.
In a sense we are all hypocrites because we go to church and sing songs about giving everything for Jesus, then we go home and don’t. Or we sing songs about going into all the world and teaching the gospel, then we go home and don’t. Or we talk about the importance of praying for everyone around us and their loved ones, then we go home and don’t.
Let us look at ourselves as others do ~ and as God does.
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.”
“Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed.”
“He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless.”
“To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you brought my life up from the pit, O Lord my God. When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple.”
“…the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the Word of Truth, the gospel.”
Some people say, “You don’t choose God; God chooses you out of all the other people of the world.” But God wants to choose us all. He wants everyone to be saved. So in what sense does he choose us?
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.”
“[the Magi/Wisemen] asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”
“A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home.”