But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ — 2 Corinthians 11:3.
Let me give you a word of warning: Keep Christ as the center of your life. Seek his kingdom fervently. Live full on and fierce for His righteousness. You will be persecuted as you begin to be fruitful for the glory of God. That’s just a fact of life for all who take up the cross to follow Christ and His fresh principles. We need to understand all who live godly will suffer persecution. You see, the devil wants to do everything he can to keep you discouraged. Therefore, when we start to do things God’s way, he’ll try to cause people to become offended by your new life.
Don’t Mind the Hypocrites
For example, people may say about you and your family, “I don’t think they ought to have such a nice car.” People who say things like that are judging you. Mark it down in your mind — they are hypocrites. When you put the Lord first, maintain good stewardship, sow seed into God’s Kingdom, work hard, and live by faith, you walk down avenues that inevitably lead to an increase in God’s blessings. And when you experience that increase, it is no one else’s business what kind of car you drive or what kind of house you live in. The people who are criticizing you have extra possessions they could give away, but they point the finger at you. If they have three cans of beans, why don’t they give two to missions?
People who like to criticize don’t want to think about what they could do for others; they want to judge you. They are not living according to the standards they place on you. That’s a great example of hypocrisy.
One of the Greatest Hypocrites of All
Let me take you to the book of John to show you whom these people act like.
JOHN 12:3-6 - Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5"Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's wages." 6He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.
The cost of the perfume that this woman named Mary poured on the body of Jesus was about the pay of the average annual salary. That was a bunch of money to spend at one time! So Judas said, “Woman, what are you doing? We could use that money for the poor.” Did Judas criticize Mary like that because he cared for the poor? No! He was a two-faced thief who carried the money bag and often used the funds for his own selfish purposes.
Can you see that these types of hypocrites basically think alike? Despite the beam in their own eye, they are consumed with taking the speck out of others’ eyes (Luke 6:41,42).
Keep your eyes on Jesus and let people talk. It is none of your business what they say about you.
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