Bible Passage: “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in Heaven.” (Matthew 6:1)
Scripture Reading: Matthew 6:1-18
Who doesn’t like praise?
Many men don’t like the spotlight, and we can be pretty uncomfortable when singled out.
But most guys, in our heart of hearts, enjoy being acknowledged and appreciated.
There’s a healthy and biblical side to this: we are all called to encourage and spur one another on (e.g., 1 Thessalonians 5:11; Hebrews 10:24, etc.).
But Jesus warns us in this section of the Sermon on the Mount against “practicing our righteousness” before others—looking for credit and praise from people instead of God.
Whether giving to the needy, praying, or fasting, Christ calls us to practice our worship and obedience quietly, not showing off and making ourselves the center of attention.
We can choose the public path, if we wish—showing off and receiving the praise of others. That can feel good, for a moment. Jesus acknowledges that there is reward in pursuing this, but this fleeting praise of man will be our only reward.
Do your good deeds in secret, Jesus says, with a common refrain: “And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you” (NIV).
Our natural tendencies desire acknowledgment; goodness knows our culture encourages it. We live in an age of shameless self-promotion, driven by our online lives, where we present our best selves to the world for approval and hide our authentic selves safely away, where no one can judge us or hurt us.
We easily promote our righteousness, showing off our spiritual maturity and godly actions for all to see.
But in the Upside-Down Kingdom, Jesus calls men to forgo these instincts towards the self and choose the “secret” path of righteousness instead.
He graciously gives us a choice: Which reward do you want?
We will be rewarded either way! The praise of people is immediate and feels good. The promised heavenly reward is potentially far off and much less tangible.
The first reward we receive right away in the flesh. The second one we wait for by faith.
But beyond the question of what kind of reward we want, there is a bigger question:
What kind of man do I want to be?
Men of the Kingdom choose the more challenging path of self-denial, forgoing instant gratification for the tougher work of doing the right thing and waiting on the Lord for His reward.
It is harder, but godly men do hard things, and receive the better reward for it.
Prayer: Lord, forgive me for ever seeking the praise of others. Grant me the strength and self-discipline to make the harder choice to do the right thing and wait on You for Your reward. Reorient my perspective to keep focused on You. Amen.
Reflection: Where in your life are you seeking the praise of others? Where can you adjust that this week, focusing instead on living the way Christ calls us to in today’s passage?
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