Alright it’s time for a post. I know I haven’t put anything on here since last time Texas got rain.
“Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, 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 men. I tell you the truth, 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.” (Matthew 6: 1-4 NIV 1984)
This block of verses sticks out to me. It confronts how we act when people are looking, and what are motives are when we do good. How many of us would help out if we were never given recognition or thanks. Would we give to charity if it weren’t tax deductible? Do we give to receive what is given by man? Are we selfish givers, hypocrites?
“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 men. I tell you the truth, 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. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” (Matthew 6: 5-8 NIV 1984)
Now I haven’t seen anyone out in the streets praying lately. But maybe that because we’re more thoughtful of what other people think…and other people would think that praying in the open was really weird. So we don’t. In other words, instead of praying in a crowd to make people think were good, we don’t pray so people don’t think were strange. Now I’m not saying we need to start praying in crowds…but what about all the other things we don’t do because people might think were strange? Do we share our faith, stand up for what we know is right when everyone else is doing wrong? We know what good we ought to do and we do not do it. Are we hypocrites?
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6: 20-21 NIV 1984)
Is God our treasure? Does our heart treasure God and his mercy like a pirate treasures a heavy chest of gold? Like celebrities treasure fame, Scientists treasure knowledge? We say God is our all in all, but is He really or are we just hypocrites? Maybe we need to get serious about God and who he is. Maybe we should stop just acting like Christians, Christianity wasn’t meant to be just sunshine and flowers. Christ was crucified. His apostles had stones thrown at them. No Christian should be without an enemy. If we are not persecuted for what we believe then maybe that’s because we’re not doing what God intended.
“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me.” (John 15:18-21 NIV 1984)
Be so bold for Christ that your enemy cannot help but say something. Be so adamant for Jesus that anyone and everyone will know you have the Lord’s mercy. I challenge you to share your faith with the next person you see. You know enough to believe for yourself that Jesus Christ is Lord. Then you know enough to tell someone else about it too. Why would you wait? Why would you keep silent? Pray for God’s guidance, go.
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