Regardless, as much as the public persona is a necessary element of a believer’s life, there is still something more important: the private life. What a person is at glance, must be an overflow of what he is up close. If I may dare to use myself as an illustration: I know that there are many people who know me. As a matter of fact, there are more people who are watching me, than those who are listening to me. Perhaps I have successfully presented myself as the “holy man”, and yes, that is a good thing if the end goal is to set an exemplary Christian life. Indeed, my deepest desire is to be real; no pretending or hypocrisy whatsoever. That includes an honest admission that I also struggle for holiness and I have many times failed my Saviour. I also cry with Paul, “For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing (Rom 7:19).” It would be deception on my part if the public image is the most important thing. Because I can’t escape the reality that there is more to me than what people see through a Sunday suit. The number one thing that all Christians must be concerned about, and work the hardest to improve is their private walk with Christ. This is contrary to other religions, who work so hard to impress others with their so-called good deeds, while their own hearts are left unchecked of hate, racism and pride.
I consulted Steve Lawson the Bible teacher about this issue, and this is what he said, “What we are must be more important than what we do. Our godliness is more important that our giftedness. What we are before God takes precedence over what we are before men. Our private life has to take priority over our public life. How we live is more important than where we serve. Our walk with God is more essential than our work for God. The size of our hearts must be more important than the size of our church. Our piety is more important than our platform, our purity than our program, our integrity than our ministries. Our souls are more important than our success.” Beloved, I believe these words can be sound advice to all of us who call on the name of the Lord. As one preacher said, God doesn’t want 10% of your income, He wants 100% of your heart. It matters to God who you are, especially during that moment when no one else sees you.
Most people get surprised when they hear that so and so has fallen into some big sin. Yet the truth is, no one ever “falls” all of a sudden. It’s born out of gradual sliding towards that direction. Before an army can lose the war, they first lose multiple small battles to make up for that big loss. Hence we must all call ourselves to accountability privately, before we are accountable to others, publicly. Once you win that inward spiritual battle and endeavor to kill those sins behind closed doors, it will inevitably overflow into the public eye. And the reverse is true; once I indulge myself secretly, it’s only a matter of time before I fall openly. It’s just the way it is.
Therefore, how is it with your soul; are you so righteous, and so organized in front of others while the reality is that you are falling apart from the inside? You are such a spiritual leader, but is it the same thing at home, before your own kindred; can your husband/wife and kids testify on your behalf about the genuine nature of your Christian persona? How about your alone self; can you acknowledge and even repent of your sins that only you know about? If so, that is good. It shows that your Christianity is not just a public showoff, but Jesus is real to you even when you are alone. Here is another quote, this time from Tim Keller, “the infallible test of spiritual integrity, Jesus says, is your private prayer.” But if you don’t care about that and only become spiritual when you are in front of others then you must be afraid. Because you are like those people that Jesus rebuked for being white-washed tombs, who looked good on the outside while inside they were full of dead man’s bones. If anything, hypocrisy should be the very thing that we all endeavor to run away from; as much as possible. Again I repeat this point; that true Christianity is not being perfect, but it’s being honest about who we are before God, and before others. Borrowing the words of a good preacher again, “The only people who are saved are those who are ashamed of themselves, and not ashamed of Christ.” From there, we can make efforts to kill sin and to discipline ourselves toward godliness. Is that a reality in my own life?
Here is the conclusion. If you love Christ, never be ashamed of Him; never hesitate to let others see who your Lord is. This is the exemplary faith that is missing today. However, never be fooled into believing that what people see on the church platform is all that is needed for Christian living. Before your outward behavior, there must be an inward purity of heart. Always prioritize your private walk with Christ and the public image will take care of itself. Maybe the Lord also have mercy on me, Amen.
Sinothi Ncube
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