Yeast of Hypocrisy

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE

YEAST OF HYPOCRISY

Luke 12:1-3

12:1 Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 3 What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.

 

Yeast is a very interesting single-celled, living microorganism member of the fungus kingdom. When we make our pizza dough, we add a small amount of yeast compared to the large amount of flour. When we first mix it into the flour there is no apparent effect but give it some time and it will produce the desired effect, at least for our pizza dough. Jesus is making the point that leaven is not detected until it is too late. However, our yeast will evidentially pervade the whole mass, as will hypocrisy. If it is undetected and thus unremoved, soon it will invade all our exercises and feelings. The other interesting aspect of yeast is that it puffed our pizza dough. The little handful of dough placed in the bowl while we cover it with a cloth and leave it alone will get puffed up or swell up to a much larger piece of dough. Hypocrisy if left alone, can appear in us as filling us with pride and vanity. We believe no one is more proud than the hypocrite, and none is more revolting or repulsive to God. Jesus warns his disciples not to become like the “Leaven of the Pharisees”, he means they should be cautious about imbibing their spirit and becoming like them. What we see in the religion of the hypocrite is false, a façade, drunk on self, and self-righteousness. Faith in Jesus, or the lifestyle of one who has accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, or that He is the yeast in our lives, is a life that is one of sincerity, of humility, without disguise or camouflage. Could we dare to think that if we were to rid ourselves of that façade, that disguise or camouflage of being a “Good Christians” we could actually be humble and more transparent about who we truly are, we might become more like our Lord and Master Jesus, reflecting His glory in ever-increasing glory. But if we allow that yeast of hypocrisy to have its way in us, we are in danger of being like those who are puffed up, prideful, and boastful, who are filled with self-righteousness to the point they cannot even see themselves as they truly are, for they begin to believe their own façade is real and good, pleasing to God. Let us rid ourselves of any kind of that yeast, and live humbly before our God and before man.