A driver did the right thing, stopping at the crosswalk even though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection. The tailgating woman behind him went ballistic, pounding on her horn and screaming in frustration as she missed her chance to drive through the intersection with him. Still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a very serious police officer.
The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands up. He took her to the police station where she was searched, fingerprinted, photographed and placed in a cell. After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door. She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects.
He said, "I'm awfully sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping the guy off in front of you, and cussing a blue streak at him. I noticed the "Choose Life" license plate holder, the "What Would Jesus Do?" bumper sticker, the "Follow me to Sunday School" bumper sticker and the chrome plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk.
Naturally, I assumed you had stolen the car.
If it's only a joke, it's amusing. If it's descriptive of you or I, it is tragic. Jesus was harder on hypocrites than on any other class of people. Throughout His earthly ministry, He rebuked the Scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy, at one time warning His disciples to not be like them. He said, "But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach." (Matthew 23:3 NIV)
May we not be such. May we practice what we preach - walk according to our words, and live the things that come from our lips.
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