Keeping Up Appearances
In the mid-90s and early 2000s, it wasn’t uncommon to find my dad watching another quirky British sitcom in our family’s living room. “Mr. Bean,” “Are You Being Served,” and “Fawlty Towers” were often aired in the evenings on our local PBS station and were usually family-friendly. One of the hilarious British sitcoms of the ‘90s that often captured my attention was, “Keeping Up Appearances”.
The comedic sitcom follows a middle-aged woman, Hyacinth, who is a social climber and desires to be a part of the upper class. Yet, the reality of her life keeps breaking into her vision of perfection. From bossing her husband around to changing the pronunciation of her last name, she does whatever she can to “keep up the appearance” of having an upper-class lifestyle. As she tries to hide her past and the reality of her working-class eccentric family members, it leads to some comical situations.
Most of us probably don’t go to the extremes of Hyacinth in keeping up our appearances, but we’ve probably done things to put on the appearance of “having it all together” at times. In reality, God cares much more about a surrendered heart and inner purity than what we put on display to the world.
God’s Word shows us how much He values authenticity and our heart’s motivations. In Matthew, chapter 15, the Pharisees and religious leaders condemn and question Jesus about the disciples not upholding their religious traditions. Through their traditions, the religious leaders put on the façade of cleanliness and purity, but their hearts were actually far from God. Jesus explains that they valued upholding man-made traditions and outward appearances over God’s law.
Later in Matthew 23:25-26, Jesus calls out the Pharisees and religious teachers again on their hypocrisy. “…For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy- full of greed and self-indulgence! You are blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside will become clean too.”
Jesus isn’t against traditions when they’re used to point our hearts and minds back to God. He is against “keeping up appearances” by using traditions to put “holiness” on display when our hearts are far from Him. Purity comes from the inside out when our hearts are surrendered to God. Spiritual sacrifices and displays of “holiness” mean nothing to the Lord if our hearts are not surrendered to Him.
“For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.”
Hosea 6:6
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Love the post ! Great wisdom.
Thank you, Mary!
Thank you for this imperative reminder to all Christians and even those of us who believe we truly follow Jesus Christ and are continually seeking to attune ourselves with the will of our Father in heaven; but not convention or the “ways of the world;” these things here are a death trap as I see them; and know from experience this to be ultimate truth from God!
Your posting brought me immediately in my own heart to this one Scripture from the Book of John that I’ve often referred to in quite a few of my writings within the multitude of essays I’ve written here, and as well in conversations with others.
“14I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one. 15Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world.” 1 John 2:14-16
Thank you.
God bless you and yours!
Brother in Christ Jesus,
Lawrence Morra III
Thank you for your thoughtful comment Lawrence! I appreciate the Bible verse connection. God bless!
Sure thing! You’re always welcome Amber! And thank you for this poignant reminder it really hit home for me! Amen.
God bless you and yours!
Thank you Amber. Good writing! This is a well thought-out and presented article. And I do remember that show! Blessings to you and your family.
Thank you for your kind words of encouragement!