Jesus warned His followers to NOT be like the hypocrites. (Matthew 6:5) He didn’t name names, but I think everyone knew He was pointing at the religious leaders (Pharisees, Sadducees).
Anyone who has ever been in a foreign country with different language and customs can relate to what Jesus was talking about. When you go to a strange country, even though you don’t wear the funny shirt and silly hat, you will stick out as a tourist. You may try to speak the language, try to follow their customs, but it will be forced, it will be unnatural to you. A hypocrite is acting, doing something, speaking something that is not natural to them. When they are in their native setting, they will reveal their true identity and character.
I believe elder brothers are natural hypocrites. We are driven to be responsible, to be in charge, and we often find ourselves doing and acting responsibly even though our heart is not in it. But that is how we are wired. The challenge for elder brothers is to develop a pure heart, a sincere heart, a heart that seeks after God’s heart. To understand an elder brother, look at Martha as contrasted with Mary. Mary followed her heart, while Martha did what was needed. It did not matter what Martha wanted to do, she was simply driven to do what had to be done, because she was the responsible one. She sought approval by her works, while Mary simply wanted to be with Jesus.
Elder Brothers must ask God to examine their hearts, and reveal any hypocrisy, any selfishness, any pride. Elder Brothers will have a tendency to put on a responsible mask at church and then be very self-serving in their work and career. To an Elder Brother, Church can simply be a means of respectability in the eyes of others. Jesus would rather us be a Mary, or the younger brother who realizes he messed up yet repents and returns to the Father. Get an elder brother in the world, outside of their “comfort zone” and their hypocrisy will be revealed. Their true heart will be exposed.
Jesus challenges elder brothers to discover the desires of their heart, and then give them to Him. Over the next few weeks, I will be learning how to allow His heart to be my heart, without hypocrisy or selfishness.
“Journey of the Elder Brother” will be a feeble attempt to chronicle my journey through “The Prodigal God”.
From PathwayofBlessing
Loving the Word with the MudPreacher 