Read Matthew 6:1-4

“¹ Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.”

Take a moment to consider, “What’s the best piece of advice I’ve ever received?” “Measure twice, cut once”, “Get a haircut, get a real job”, “Buy low, sell high”, “Be good to your mother”? When Jesus, the most influential person who has ever lived and the Son of God, says, “Beware!”, He’s warning us that to ignore his advice could be devastating.

In this instance, Jesus is warning us against living out faith in any way that seeks status or reputation as a “spiritual” or “good” person. While there are few of us who ever intend to live this way, it’s all too easy to offer an answer, a donation (6:2-4), a prayer (6:5-15) or an invitation primarily because it portrays us in a “good light”.

We often behave this way hoping that one day there will be a pay-off of some kind: others will assume we have a superior morality or intellect, we receive invitations to groups or gatherings we’ve sought access to, or we successfully hide unrighteousness in another hidden part of our life. Jesus says that whenever we play this external reputation game, caring more about who others perceive us to be than who we really are, it’s our loss.

As Jesus taught elsewhere, he does willingly reward us for the life we’ve lived, but he often rewards behaviour that others don’t even recognise. In fact, if you read Matthew chapter 6, especially verses 1 to 24, you will see that God is encouraging us to practise our faith secretly, where there’s not even the opportunity for our intentions to become warped or reputations to be boosted.

He then says that if we can practise righteousness, prayer, giving and the life of faith in secret, we will one day receive a reward that will make a boosted status or elevated reputation seem like a waste of time!

As you reflect upon Matthew 6 and how you are expressing your faith, ask God for a renewed passion for loving Him in secret – praying prayers no one hears and meeting financial needs anonymously. Alongside the joy of unquestioned intentions, we can revel in the knowledge that each small, secret act secures some kind of mysterious, heavenly gift that will make all others pale in comparison!