UNDAILY Episode 163
“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 (NIV)
What is your Christian devotion like? How does the modern Christian approach prayer today? Jesus says, “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.” This call to avoid hypocrisy in our faith is particularly relevant in today’s world full of superficiality and illusion.
Let’s ponder these words. How often do we boast about our good deeds? How often do we post on social media, hoping to garner a few extra “likes” for our charitable or pious acts? Is it possible that our devotion is becoming more of a spectacle for others than an authentic expression of faith?
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