November 6, 2012
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 6:1-4
OBSERVATIONS
1. So what is the difference between letting your light shine before men so that they may see our good deeds and glorify God (Ephesians 5:16) and practicing your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them (Matthew 6:1)? Whenever I find a ‘contradiction’ like this, I assume the best, and try to figure out how it makes sense. In this case the difference lies in the motivation: that God might get the glory, or that we would get the glory.
2. I have to admit that there are times when I delight in the attention that a good deed garners. I will not brag, but I may drop hints. This is not my main motivation, but it is there in subtle ways. No deed will be purely selfless or selfish. Jesus is urging us to shift the focus away from us, to make it our desire to glorify God. There is a minimal blessing when the goal is my glory, but nothing in comparison to the blessing when God is honoured.
3. Not every deed we do needs to be done without people seeing it. Jesus is not issuing a command here, but giving us a way to counteract the selfish impulse within. It is like a spiritual discipline, giving in secret, doing an act of kindness without anyone knowing about it. Try it, and you will discover how deep the selfish impulse runs… but you will also break some of it’s grip, and move closer towards a God-honouring focus and experience… He will bless you through it!
What do you notice in this passage?
APPLICATION
1. I sense God probing into my own heart, urging me to look within at how I try to draw attention to my work and efforts here in Falby Court. Though I like to say ‘look at what God is doing’, I really enjoy the positive feedback that I get when people respond. This is not bad, doing good should feel good. But is this positive feedback more valuable to me than sensing God’s pleasure and blessing? Would I feel as good if only God knew about it?
2. This reading is digging deeper into my whole faith experience. Is love for God really at the heart of what I am doing? If it was, would I be less likely to neglect or skip my quiet, personal time with God? I am thinking of the song “I Want To Know You More” which starts “In the secret, in the quiet, in the stillness You are there, in the secret, in the quiet hour I wait, only for You, cause I want to know You more!” All of my life, my giving and worship and prayer and obedience… all of it as an expression of my love for God!
3. God’s reward, what really is that for me? It is not getting things, more money or health or long life or worldly blessing. The reward I desire more than anything else is the love, joy and peace that comes from being in close fellowship with God and Jesus. In moments when I experience God’s presence and love, no amount of people applause can take it’s place. This is what I hear God inviting me into, to live for and seek and serve for an audience of One!
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, as I think about this, this is what I want. I am feeling energized by my reflections today. May I experience this blessing and reward today, and may this motivate me to love and serve even more!~
Sorry, my reflection was later than yours MUB, but I reflected on the reward that I am seeking, the reward that I think Jesus speaks of. After reading and reflecting today, I actually came out inspired to seek and know the reward of God’s presence and love…
Giving
This passage assumes that giving is already happening. We are not urged to give, and to give generously in these verses. This is more about the “how” and “why” of giving. What is my motivation to give? Do I give to look good to others? To the person or group I am giving to? Peer pressure? I have given for all of these reasons, but according to this passage, this is not what real giving is about.
This is not about giving to receive. I don’t see across the board prosperity teaching as happening in this world, although I do remember reading this weekend about how God blessed Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. There are many examples of God blessing his followers. But what did Jesus teach, and do, and how did his followers live. I get the impression that collection of money and things was not even on their radar.
So is the lesson here to give it all away? I don’t think that is the lesson, but rather, WHEN you give it away, (It is assumed that you are giving) then try give without having it become known. Perhaps how I feel when I give is enough. God is great and is a great provider. I pray that I will be generous with what I have been given, but even more so, that I can be generous with all of me, my time, my talents, my gifts.
I am not sure about what is meant by the reward we are to expect when we give in secret? It is one of those verses that leaves me with a question with no clear answer. A quick answer would be, that the reward is heaven, or to be received in heaven, but I am not so sure…
Observations:
Practice hospitality. Do good. Just do it. But do it in such as manner that others do not see it to praise you for that is your reward. Their praise.
Application:
Living for Jesus a life that is true I just do what is needed. It is a part of my life – giving/sharing the love of God with those around me. This is not self service or service for recognition, but just the integral part of living for Jesus. His champions just do it. It is their life style – no questions asked. It is an integral part of their daily living – no choice. Just do. I am not my own, but belong to Him and He has made me glad with the ability to be a blessing to others.
Prayer:
Lord, thank You for Your Gift to me. It is because of that Gift I can give. Help me daily to live the love command by sharing what You have shared with me.
Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.
Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.
High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.