Essentially So 

Saint Paul teaches us to do everything for the Lord, which includes our actions in both public and private life (Colossians 3:23). Accordingly, there should be certain essential consistency between a person’s within these two realms lest they become hypocritical or even duplicitous.

However, being essentially the same person in each setting does not imply equality of actions. Even Jesus reserved some comments and actions for when he was in a smaller group of his disciples (private) rather than among crowds (public).

Social and public settings warrant appropriate actions and rapport. Therefore, a person may be understandably reserved or careful in certain settings while being more open and relaxed in private. That is not a contradiction or essential difference; Rather, it is a proper response based on the virtues of prudence and charity. This change of behavior does not imply a change in principle but merely an exercise in self-control.