#DailyDevotion Are We Doing It All Wrong?
Matt. 6:1-21 “Be careful not to do your good works before people to be seen by them. If you do, your Father in heaven will not reward you. 2So when you give to the poor, don’t blow your horn, as hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets to be praised by people. I tell you, that’s really all the reward they’ll get. 3When you give to the poor, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4that your giving may be secret. Then your Father, Who sees what is secret, will reward you.” 5“When you pray, don’t be like hypocrites, who like to stand praying in synagogues and on street corners in order to be seen by people. I tell you, that’s really all the reward they’ll get. 6But when you pray, go into your own room, shut your door, and pray to your Father, Who is with you when you’re alone, and your Father, Who sees what is secret, will reward you…16“When you fast, don’t look sad like hypocrites. They disfigure their faces to show people they are fasting. I tell you, that’s really all the reward they’ll get. 17But when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face 18so that no one will see you fasting except your Father, Who is with you when you’re alone. And your Father, Who sees what is secret, will reward you.” 19“Don’t store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy them and thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where no moth or rust destroys them and no thieves break in and steal. 21Where your treasure is, there your heart will be.
Well it looks like we’re doing Ash Wednesday all wrong according to Jesus. We’re getting ashes on our foreheads that anyone can see. We’re gathering together for public worship and prayer. There’s probably a good chance you may have told people what you were giving up for Lent. Well are we doing it all wrong? The key here is the phrase, “to be seen by them.” If you are getting ashes, gathering for worship and giving something up for Lent to be seen by people doing it, then definitely, yes, you are doing it wrong. The only good reason to tell someone what you are giving up for Lent is someone maybe who has never done it doesn’t know what to do and they ask you what you are doing. Then at least it wasn’t to be seen by others.
If we do all sorts of religious acts and do acts of piety in order to be seen by men, Jesus says, “You have already got your reward.” So, don’t expect anything else from God for any of that stuff. If people see you doing stuff and think you are doing it to be seen by them, well , that on the wickedness of their own hearts, not on you.
When Jesus says pray in secret he is not forbiding public worship but public prayers for the sake of being seen. However, that is a real good hint you should be praying by yourselves sometimes. Jesus mentions fasting and giving to the poor in secret. If you never do these things (and don’t say you pay taxes to take care of the poor, that doesn’t count) maybe you might take up these practices. Jesus promises if we do these things in secret God your Father will reward you. What will he reward you with? I don’t know. Jesus doesn’t say. Do you think Jesus’ promise is good enough to do it anyway? Do you think your Father in heaven, the Father of lights and giver of every good gift will be chincy with you? I think not. So store up treasure in heaven by giving to the poor. Seriously, you only have everything to gain by giving away worldly wealth to those who lack in it. Don’t worry if they really need it. Let God take care of that. You trust God.
Merciful God and Father, grant us your grace that we may do our pious acts not be seen and enlargen our hearts that we may give to those who ask. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.