An Accurate Stereotype

85% of young people outside of Christianity view Christians as hypocrites. I call this an accurate stereotype. I found this description in a list of oxymorons. Stereotypes are by definition not entirely true, but if it is accurate, then it is true. And this describes Christian hypocrites well. A hypocrite is someone who says one thing and does another. And it is true that Christians do this, but I think it is also true that most everyone does this.
These same young outsiders that say Christians are hypocrites also agreed that everyone else is hypocritical from time to time, so it is not that big of a deal that Christians are. It does not bother them that much because Christians are just like everyone else when it comes to saying one thing and doing another.
Their problem comes when Christians do not admit their hypocrisy. It bothers them when Christians try to act as if their actions always match their words. So I want to encourage Christians to get better at acknowledging that we miss the mark. As Christians we need to be open and honest that we make mistakes even as we try to live for God.
Not being able to live perfectly the life God has called us to is nothing new. The Apostle Paul even wrestled with this. In Romans 7:15 he says, "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do." Paul admits here his hypocrisy of not doing what he knows God wants him to do, and then doing what he knows God does not want him to do.
I think we all wrestle with that, I know I do. It is evidence of the struggle between good and evil in all of us. It is the tension created between our natural being and the supernatural working in us. It shows that the Spirit of God is at work in us, but not yet finished.
I hope as Christians we can address this accurate stereotype by acknowledging that we do not always act perfectly. I also hope that we will not settle for just acknowledging it, but press on to match our actions with the will of God. I hope we can continue to struggle and that God's better calling will be done more often.