Mathew 6:2-4 When you do something for someone else, don't call attention to yourself. You've seen them in action, I'm sure—'playactors' I call them— treating prayer meeting and street corner alike as a stage, acting compassionate as long as someone is watching, playing to the crowds. They get applause, true, but that's all they get. When you help someone out, don't think about how it looks. Just do it—quietly and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in love, working behind the scenes, helps you out.
"Playacters", I have been guilty of this. I have to stop myself sometimes from boasting about the things of Christ. When I was working I used to fast on a regular basis. I remember it not being a secret, everyone knew. I thought that by letting my co-workers know that I was fasting the pressure of joining them would be eased. Well I thought that was a good reason to tell them about it. I realize now years later that my intentions were not that pure. You see this practice opened the door to some heated dialogue. Most people in my department disagreed with fasting and went as far as calling it dangerous. They would all seat around the table talking about me and why I.... in particular because of my medical issues, should not be fasting. I enjoyed watching all of them show "concern" over me. I used a biblical principal as a way to draw attention to me. Once this was realized I repented and from that time forward fasting was done where it should have always been done, in the privacy of my home. At that point it was just God and I working together. There are other things I've done that have pierced my heart but those I'll just keep them between my Lord and me.
Think about how you break this biblical principle. Where is your heart when you do something for someone? Do you do it in hiding or do you do it so maybe just one person will see it and praise you later for it? This was a hard one for me to write. Jesus helped me see how we fall short of keeping this principal. It could be an office worker who is busy as long as the boss is around but as soon as he/she steps out for a meeting, they are making personal calls, or browsing online or the housewife who gets upset daily if not praise by the family for the work she has put in the house and dinner.
It’s time to realign our heart's compass; time to do right for God and not flesh or man. God has forgiven us all for our shortcomings and we need not dwell on those things. We have been redeemed, restored and remade. Nothing can separate us from the Love and Forgiveness of God. So from this day forward, let’s go do God's work, for our treasures are in Heaven not earth. Shalom
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