When Jesus spoke to religious people He was a lot more harsh than when He spoke to regular people. I think that Jesus values truth and self-honesty (which would lead to humility as opposed to pride) much more than appearance. Why do I play games and try to show off for people? Why, when I’m having a good day or a bad day, do I hide it in the mask of normalcy? Jesus liked the tax-collectors… they were thieves who knew they were thieves, and didn’t hide it. Jesus hated that the Pharisees and their kind would sell doves and sheep in the temple for ridiculous prices, and find fault with any sin-sacrifice that was not bought at the temple, so that to be forgiven, the people would have to be ripped off first. Thievery disguised in religion.

Time to be honest. Be who you are. As Martin Luther said,

“There are some who have no understanding to hear the truth of freedom and insist upon their goodness as means for salvation. These people you must resist, do the very opposite, and offend them boldly lest by their impious views they drag many with them into error. For the sake of liberty of the faith do other things which they regarded as the greatest of sins… use your freedom constantly and consistently in the sight of and despite the tyrants and stubborn so that they may learn that they are impious, that their law and works are of no avail for righteousness.”

We were forgiven and the freedom that we live in now should be the freedom to be completely truthful, and not hide our imperfections. God knows them. We can never hid them from Him, and if we try, we may end up hiding them from ourselves.

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.”

Matthew 23:25-28