All the World’s a Sanctimonious Stage

— Adjective derogatory making a show of being morally superior. ORIGIN Latin, sanctimonia ‘sanctity’’

The First Lady Laura Bush has just demonstrated for us the ageless principle of hypocrisy. NY Times columnist JOHN TIERNEY wrote of her comedic routine for the press in which she generated more than a few surprised looks from the largely Democratic audience. Even while she did not compose her stand-up act personally, her delivery was warmly received by the media as a welcome breather from the public piety typically on display by the first family. In an age often considered to be increasingly conservative, Laura Bush showed that our new version of conservatism has no problem watching Desperate Housewives and joking about sexual frustration.

However, one need not judge Mr. and Mrs. Bush so harshly. They have simply executed a well-conceived tactic to portray themselves as moderate people who do in fact enjoy worldly pleasures. Moreover, history is replete with examples of sporadic and public piety when it serves their interests, even while private behaviour may not fully line up with public pronouncements of morality. Indeed, this is merely a single example representing countless others who operate much the same way: public piety and private depravity. This spotlights a new twist on the idea of representative government!

The sad truth is that most Christians (including myself, lest anyone think I’m immune) are bad actors on the public stage. We’re more interested in impressing other people with our outward righteousness even while we forget that the Omniscient One sees all, including our hidden motives (Hebrews 4:12). The Bible provides numerous examples of this recurring theme with alarming modern relevance. King Saul is arguably the worst example of this—a man who carefully constructed circumstances to make his actions appear to be congruent with God’s commands, but ultimately God judged his heart and Saul was dethroned.

How is it we so easily fall into this badly written play? We convince ourselves that we are somehow justified by our performance in front of mere mortals, while we ignore the all-powerful Director who critiques our method acting with utter precision. He sees that our service is mostly for show before the eyes of man, and one day the curtain will fall on our pathetic performance.

The good news, however, is that if we willingly submit to God’s cues, we find grace. For Hebrews 4:14-16 reveals that Jesus is our “great high priest” who understands our weakness. He was “tested in every way as we are, yet without sin.” This test was public and private. And because of His victory (both in His life and ministry) He became our living hope and perennial example. Therefore, we must “cling to him and never stop trusting him” (verse 14b)—“so let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it” (verse 16). It is from God’s throne that the perfect performance of His grace transforms us into real people of God, both in public and in private. Only in this way can we stop pretending for the sake of others, and start living for Christ’s sake.