Question #1 on Wesley’s Holy Club self examination quiz is: “Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I am better than I really am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?”

This version of the word hypocrite is a bit more developed than what I am accustomed to. My version is simply a person who says one thing and does another. This version seems to include anyone who tries to maintain any impression other than reality. Even if by accident?

It seems a common practice if not human nature to try to maintain some appearance. Just ask the latest trend’s fashion designers. It comes in many different forms, and clothes is only the beginning. If I speak King James English then I sound like I read my Bible a lot. If I recently read a scripture and can tie it to my current conversation then maybe I’ll sound like I study my Bible a l lot. If I can quote some other person or a statistic then I’m more credible. If I bleach my teeth I appear more healthy. If my Facebook status says I’m away bench pressing I must be doing that, right then… wow, I’m a strong guy.

Spoken communication is one thing, but writing exacerbates this problem. It is so easy to exaggerate, and it can be done in writing without purposefully deceiving at all. In fact, as John Wesley’s question clarifies, doing it on purpose is not all it takes to make a mistake.

We have to be very careful how we word our reports home. Unfortunately, the only solution I have found that works is when in doubt, just don’t say it. I’d love to let my friends know about some of the things it seems God is doing with us, when I’m so uncertain what it means, which is usually the case, how can I relay it to others? We get to do a lot of neat things here, but some of them are just too neat to describe without appearing to brag and likely unconsciously creating a facade. I guess every update could be summed up as, we’re normal people, living a normal life, which includes an amazing God!

So, why the title? Well, I mention a good rule only to break it. Please stop it! “Christianese” is one of the verbal/written fashions of the hypocritical facade world. I know many sweet godly people, old and young alike, that speak fluent Christianese daily. I would say, they are not fools, but they may well be unconsciously creating a facade. Maybe the fact that I’m not actually criticising the foolish means I didn’t break the rule. Please be alert! Trading a genuine, sincere, and perhaps boring reality for a superficial appearance could cost more than you’d imagine. A person’s vocabulary has very little to do with their ability, unless we’re referring to merely their ability to talk.

Back to the title. I suppose I should have included a disclaimer right from the start. There is no point discussing this topic with someone who spends their effort bearing an illusion instead of fruit. Unless, of course, you’d also stand between a mama grizzly and her cub. So this is intended for those who would recognize the foolishness of those, both the facade thing and the grizzly thing.