READ: Luke 6:46-49
“Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. ” – Matthew 15:7-8
Pretence and deception can be a sign of dishonour. Being a hypocrite, and pretending all the time is a sign that you think you can deceive someone. You esteem the person to have a lower intelligence. You think you can deceive him because you consider him to be a dimwit. When you try to humour or patronize an important person by saying things you don’t believe, you may draw upon yourself the severest of rebukes. God did not take it lightly when His people feigned respect and pretended to honour Him when in fact their hearts were far from Him.
“Which devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation” (Mark 12:40).
Over the years I have seen how people try to pretend towards me, telling me things they think I want to hear. When they are not with me they talk about everything else but when they are with me they talk about God and the church, they tell me their dreams and their desire to do missionary work.
They speak with a soft and gentle voice when they are speaking to me but they have a rough voice when they speak to others. Some even develop a special respectful accent when they are talking to me.
To honour someone is to be genuine and without pretence. Do not insult great people by assuming they are so in need of flattery, adulation and idolization. Do not insult great people by pretending around them. Do not assume they are so stupid to be taken in by your little act of false and pretentious humility.