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<em>This was originally posted on March 1, 2010 for New Jersey Moms Blog.
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There are <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Commandments" target="_blank">Ten Commandments</a>, my friends, and I've broken nearly all of them at one point or another. Sometimes repeatedly.

I had a real moment of truth in the not-so-distant past, while I was  sitting with a small group of friends during fellowship at my church. My  moment of truth had to do with the hypocrisy of claiming to be a  Christian, yet consistently subscribing to the "do as I say, not as I  do" way of living.  Is this where you're at these days?  I know I am not  alone.

I was raised <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Church" target="_blank">Roman Catholic</a> and converted to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazarene_Church" target="_blank">Nazarene</a> in 2007 so, for the past thirty years of my life, I have called myself a "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian" target="_blank">Christian</a>"  alongside the rest of the estimated 33% of world-wide peoples who claim  to be Christians.  (You can view the pie chart in a larger size if you  click on it.)  I can't help but wonder how many of those 33% of people  noted struggle daily, as I do, with self-hypocrisy.
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I'm one of those "Christians" who screams at the kids during the  hour right before we leave the house on Sundays to go to our church.   And then, when my kids and I arrive ten minutes late to service, put on  my happy face and pretend like my ugly language and behavior had never  happened.  I drop the "f-bomb" on a regular basis, and I have coveted  many things in my life.  Sitting here, just meditating upon all this, I  am reminded of a poem I ran across some time ago:

<strong>There are little eyes upon you and they're watching night and day.
There are little ears that quickly take in every word you say.
There are little hands all eager to do anything you do;
And a little boy who's dreaming of the day he'll be like you.
You're the little fellow's idol, you're the wisest of the wise.
In his little mind about you no suspicions ever rise.
He believes in you devoutly, holds all you say and do;
He will say and do, in your way when he's grown up just like you.
There's a wide-eyed little fellow who believes you're always right;
And his eyes are always opened, and he watches day and night.
You are setting an example every day in all you do;
For the little boy who's waiting to grow up to be like you.</strong>

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica;">In short, it truly matters whether what  I say and what I do are aligned because my kids are watching my every  move.  Not only am I being hypocritical, it's also very selfish of me to  do the things that I continue to do, because I want my true values and  priorities to be clear to my kids every day. Friends, I can say all I  want to about how important church and reading the Bible is, but if my  actions display something else... that's what my kids will take notice  of.  Reading the Bible regularly, praying continually, apologizing and showing true repentance, treating others with love, gentleness and respect, will all set an example and reinforce lessons my kids are  learning by regularly attending Sunday School.</span>

Someone I admire very much is <a href="http://www.intouch.org/site/c.cnKBIPNuEoG/b.4943183/k.3CE2/Dr_Charles_Stanleys_Biography.htm" target="_blank">Dr. Charles Stanley</a>,  whom you might have seen on television or heard on the radio.  During  one of his teachings, Dr. Stanley discusses how God wants to break our  self-will by targeting the areas of our life that do not honor Him.   Pride, ignorance, fear, worldly entanglements, unhealthy relationships,  rebelliousness... these are ways that we <a href="http://www.intouch.org/atf/cf/%7B7048F59B-0DA1-4C33-B958-6A013BEDB8A7%7D/LP100207.pdf" target="_blank">resist brokenness</a>,  and I've been guilty in all these ways.  What about you?  If you are  claiming to be a "Christian", are you resisting brokenness?  Do you ever  feel hypocritical?  I'm curious to see who else is going through this  with me.

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