Mirror, mirror, on the wall

Today I was reading Jesus' scathing comments to the Pharisees in Matthew 23.  He blasts them for not practicing what they preach.  He scolds them for doing religious things so others would notice.  He accuses them of being the blind leading the blind.  He labels them snakes.  But then he pulls out the "H" word.  Hypocrites.  Not once, not twice, not three times, but SIX TIMES he calls them hypocrites.  (They sound like folks to avoid at all costs, don't they?) 

I often find the Pharisees easy to dislike.  I like to imagine how much different I am, you know, with my knowledge of God's grace through Jesus Christ.  Silly Pharisees...all worried about things that don't matter. 

Then later this morning I opened an email from www.throwmountains.com  (which, by the way, is a totally worthwhile site).  And one line in the email hit me between the eyes.  It was a "Mirror, mirror on the wall" moment.  It said...

Hypocrisy happens when I care more about what people think of me than what God thinks of me.

Ever look in the mirror and wish you hadn't? Yeah.  That's what happened.  Silly Pharisees.  Silly pastor.  Mirror, mirror that I see, wonder what God thinks of me. 

What do you see in your mirror?

Crazy summer reading program

School's out and summer's here! And with summer comes all kinds of opportunities to go places and do things. So as you make your summer plans, I'd encourage you to adopt a "summer reading program" which is unlike any you've tried before. There are no paperback books or bestsellers. In fact, there's no reading required on your part! Here's how it works.

Your life is a story...it's the story of what God is doing in your life. And your "story" is being read by those around you. So during your summer travels, remember that WHEREVER you are, SOMEONE is engaged in a summer reading plan, and YOU'RE the story that they're reading! What does that story look like? Is it an interesting display of the Author's masterful work?

And if you're wondering whether it's important, or worthwhile to make Sunday worship gathering a part of your weekend, remember this: People walk through the door each Sunday morning looking for good "reading material." They're looking to see if God is writing a story they can believe in. A story they can relate to. A story that will inspire or encourage them. A story of hope. So by simply showing up and letting God direct your conversations on Sunday morning, you could be part of someone else's life-changing "summer reading program." Never underestimate the power of a story.

What's your story? Let someone else read it this week.