Matt 6:1 "Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds
before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father
in heaven. 2 Therefore, when you do a
charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the
synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I
say to you, they have their reward. 3 But when you
do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is
doing, 4 that your charitable deed may be in
secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly. 5 "And when you pray, you shall
not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues
and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I
say to you, they have their reward. 6 But you,
when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to
your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will
reward you openly. 7 And when you
pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they
will be heard for their many words. 8 Therefore do
not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you
ask Him. 9 In this manner, therefore, pray: Our
Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 Your
kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. 13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us
from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory
forever. Amen. 14 "For if you
forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses,
neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. 16
"Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad
countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be
fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash
your face, 18 so that you do not appear to men to
be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who
sees in secret will reward you openly. 19
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust
destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20
but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust
destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 "The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore
your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. 23
But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore
the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! 24 "No one can serve two masters; for either he
will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and
despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
It is very normal and expected that we do things to be
seen by others. That is a given.
How much of the good that is done would have been done if
no one had seen what was done? Another question like it: Would any good be done
if it was not possible for the good being done to be seen by men?
It is interesting to contrast how we don’t want the bad
things we do to be seen by men, and we will do all we can to keep them hidden, but
we sure do want the good things we do to be seen. Being seen seems to be our
motive, if we really are truthful about it.
Jesus teaches us to forget about being seen by men, and
to concern ourselves ONLY with being seen by our Father, Who is in heaven. This
teaching places doing good squarely in the realm of faith, as we are challenged
to do good without expecting or even desiring an earthly reward. Now, do you
believe THIS?
-Pastor Bill
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