“Pray To Your Father”
“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.
“So when you give to
the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the
synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they
have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let
your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be
in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in
secret, will reward you.
“And
when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in
the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell
you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your
room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward
you.
Matthew 6:1-6
“When
you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their
faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received
their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your
face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to
your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret,
will reward you.
Matthew 6:16-18
We
are here to please God, not to gain praise from people.
Something
within us makes us want to be seen and recognized for our good deeds. There is
nothing wrong with encouragement, but a desire for praise can undermine our
service because it shifts the focus from others to ourselves.
It is better to earn recognition without getting it than
to get recognition without earning it.
Our Daily Bread –