Matthew 6:1-8

Posted by DJL on Feb 15, 2014 in Daily Bread | 0 comments

“Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven. So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”

The thrust of these few verses, I think, isn’t that faith should be private. I know it’s been read that way, as a warning against public displays of faith. But I don’t think that’s Jesus’ point. Rather, I think he’s saying that faith should be real.

Faith, that is, isn’t about impressing others or looking a certain way. It’s supposed to be genuine. Worship is about drawing closer with God, not being seen as pious. Giving charity is about helping others in need because you know you can, should, and want to, not about having others see you as charitable. And prayer is about talking with God, not being seen talking with God.

The word translated here as “hypocrite” is a term taken from the stage and refers to actors. Now, I should be clear, there’s nothing wrong with acting…when you’re doing it as part of a play. But when we act a part in every day life – praying to appear pious, giving charity or helping out to appear thoughtful – then there is a deceitfulness to our actions, an insincerity to our lives, that betrays the actions we’re undertaking.

So if I were to boil all this down to just a few words, I’d imagine Jesus would say, “Be real. In all you do, be real. Anything else is a sham and you’ve already received your shallow reward.”

Prayer: Dear God, in faith and life and in all our dealings with others, help us to be real just as we hope others are real with us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.