March 13, 2016
Scripture Reading: Matthew 6:1-4
1 “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.
2 “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. 3But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Questions for Reflection:
Why do you do what you do? Much more than actions, God is primarily concerned with motives. The antithesis passages from Matthew 5 laid the groundwork and Jesus builds upon that here. What is his admonition in the passage above? What example does He use to demonstrate this principle? Why do you think that He chose this particular area as an example?
Elizabeth Elliot, a missionary and author, shared a fictional story of Jesus in her book These Strange Ashes:
One day Jesus said to his disciples: “I’d like you to carry a stone for me.” He didn’t give any explanation. So the disciples looked around for a stone to carry, and Peter, being the practical sort, sought out the smallest stone he could possibly find. After all, Jesus didn’t give any regulation for weight and size! So he put it in his pocket. Jesus then said: “Follow Me.” He led them on a journey. About noontime Jesus had everyone sit down. He waved his hands and all the stones turned to bread. He said, “Now it’s time for lunch.” In a few seconds, Peter’s lunch was over. When lunch was done Jesus told them to stand up. He said again, “I’d like you to carry a stone for me.” This time Peter said, “Aha! Now I get it!” So he looked around and saw a small boulder. He hoisted it on his back and it was painful, it made him stagger. But he said, “I can’t wait for supper.” Jesus then said: “Follow Me.” He led them on a journey, with Peter barely being able to keep up. Around supper time Jesus led them to the side of a river. He said, “Now everyone throw your stones into the water.” They did. Then he said, “Follow Me,” and began to walk. Peter and the others looked at him dumbfounded. Jesus sighed and said, “Don’t you remember what I asked you to do? Who were you carrying the stone for?”
It is too easy to forget why we do what we do when we are following Jesus. It easy to slip into a place where we are serving for pats on the back, likes on Facebook or @mentions on Twitter. However, our goal should not be the praise of others but rather the glory of God. How can you make His glory your primary motivation today? How can you make today less about you and more about God?