How to deal with a "Pharisee"?

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Many times within churches and families, whenever we spot a bit of hypocrisy in someone, we are quick to label them as a "Pharisee." 

I used to do this myself. 

Once you put that label on someone, it becomes very easy to dismiss everything they say and justify it by thinking, "I’ll just focus on what Jesus says instead." I lived with that mindset for several years, and it caused a lot of friction and blind spots in my walk.

Later, as I studied the Scriptures more closely, I was struck by what Jesus actually taught in Matthew 23: 

"The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach." (Matt. 23:2-3)

That was a real lightbulb moment for me. Jesus showed that God's truth is still truth, even when spoken by a flawed messenger, and that we shouldn't use someone else’s inconsistency as an excuse to reject biblical instruction or harbor a judgmental heart. 

Ever since then, I stopped labeling people as Pharisees. Instead, I strive to live out Matthew 18:15 and Galatians 6:1–2, choosing gentle restoration over labeling. 😃

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