When my wife and I flew back from Florida, our two cats flew with us.

My wife had Angel in a carrying case under the seat in front of her. I got Lucifer.

Our nickname for “Lucifer” is “Goose”. Usually, he is an affectionate, cuddly cat. (See my blog “Goose Cuddles”).

But that’s when I’m cuddling him. Or feeding him.

Now, he was mad. He was in a carrying case pushed beneath the seat in front of me. The ground shook. The air roared.

I tried to comfort him. I spoke his name in a soothing tone of voice. I patted him as best I could through the netting.

It did no good.

Goose hissed at me. He bared his teeth at me.

At first, I thought about me hissing at God—about us hissing at God (see my blog “Goose Hisses”). But then I thought about God hissing at me—about God hissing at us.

When does this happen? Why does this happen?

When we are stiff-necked. When we are rebellious. When we put God in a cage and make him our footstool. When we only obey God at times and in circumstances during which we are taking what we want from him. When we are hypocrites.

In the Wilderness, Israel learned what happens if we are stiff-necked and rebellious. If we are hypocrites.

God revealed his affection for Israel, cuddling them repeatedly as he delivered them from their problems.

God delivered them from slavery in Egypt. God delivered them from the Egyptian army pursuing them. God gave them water for their thirst. God gave them food for their hunger.

Israel solemnly swore to have no other gods than the LORD. Israel swore not to make idols or serve them. Israel swore not to take the name of the LORD in vain. Israel swore to keep the the Sabbath holy. Israel swore to honor their fathers and mothers. Israel swore not to commit murder. Israel swore not to commit adultery. Israel swore not to steal. Israel swore not to give false testimony. Israel swore not to covet their neighbor’s wife, house, land, slaves, ox, donkey, or anything else that belongs to a neighbor. (The “Ten Commandments” as found at Deuteronomy 5:6-21).

Hypocrites!

Despite these solemn promises by Israel, they broke their promises time and again in the Wilderness and in Ancient Israel. Similarly, Jesus denounced the hypocrites in his day who said, “Lord, Lord,” but did not put into practice what he told them to do.

Why does hypocrisy abound? Because people put God in “cages” that they set at their feet. They make God their footstool.

God is a comfortable “footstool” on Sundays. The music is beautiful. The fellowship is comforting.

But then comes Monday morning!

I’ve seen person after person who gets in trouble because they put God in a “cage”. They compartmentalize him to certain times and places in their life. In the “real world” of business and politics they ignore him. They lie, cheat and steal.

But the LORD God Almighty is One. He requires us to love him with ALL our heart and with ALL our soul and with ALL our strength and with ALL our mind.

No exceptions for Monday morning. No exceptions for business. No exceptions for politics.

No hypocrisy!

Because ALL means ALL!

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

Are you ever a hypocrite? How? Why?

Do you ever put God in a cage? How? Why?

Is the United States ever a hypocrite? How? Why?

READ MORE

For related thoughts, please read my blogs “Hypocrisy: Specks and Planks”; “Neelix: Specks and Planks”; and “Juneteenth: Frederick Douglass Denounces America’s Hypocrisy”.