On several occasions during his ministry on earth, Jesus had strained relationship with the Pharisees and Scribes that he used to chasten and reproach as hypocrites. The men were conversant with Scriptures, and were overzealous in following each letter of the law.

However, by taking this conservative position, they actively looked for loopholes that let them breach the spirit of the law. They exhibited lack of compassion towards fellow men, and were sometimes demonstrative overly of their so-called spirituality so as to gain praise.

It’s this kind of behavior that Jesus denounced in no uncertain term. He pointed out that mercy, faithfulness and justice is more crucial than pursuing perfection that is based on faulty standards. He made it crystal clear that the problem was not with the baw, but rather the way the Pharisees and the Scribes implemented it.

Even though we have been taught that we shouldn’t be hypocrites, like the Pharisees to whom the word has become synonymous with, there are many of us who just behave like those who Jesus was criticizing.

The Bible is also clear that this was an abominable act also criticized by other prophets, including Isaiah. In Isaiah 29:13, the Lord says, "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.”

John the Baptist declined to provide hypocrites a pass, informing them to produce "fruits worthy of repentance,” (Luke 3:8). Jesus took equally staunch stand against sanctimony—calling hypocrites "wolves in sheep clothing,” (Matthew 7:15).

But how many of us have that deep compassion in their hearts while we profess with our mouths that we are serving the Lord? It’s unfortunate that even some of our religious leaders are caught up in this hypocrisy trap.

They confess on the pulpit that they are serving God while what they do points otherwise. Some unscrupulous ones have been caught doing evil things in church with their faithful, while there are others who glorify wealth at the expense of spreading the true Word of God.

In the sermon on the mountain, Jesus addressed another form of hypocrisy. "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to a plank in your own eye?” The lessons we learn here is that we shouldn’t be so haughty and convinced of our own goodness and self-righteousness so that we criticize others from this "lofty” position.

As God’s children, according to Peter, we should always strive for holiness. According to Romans 12:9, we should hate what’s evil and cling to what’s good. We should also be aware that playacting is something that’s meant for stage, and not real life.

Helping those in need should be our priority. The world is full of examples of women and men who have gone out of their way to show compassion to the world. They have proved that when given a broom, they can sweep even a corner of the world that’s dirty with poverty, disease, sin and suffering.

You too can get your broom and sweep your little corner. James 1: 26-27 says, "If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”