Red Letter: Righteous Living (Insights from Matthew 6:1-4)

Over the last several weeks, we’ve been working our way through Matthew 5. This chapter has conveyed a powerful message about the moral compass we, as believers in Christ, are called to follow. It's our duty to shine as beacons of integrity and love, serving as salt and light in our world. In doing so, we are blessed and become a blessing to others, all thanks to Christ's reign in our lives.

Now, let's shift our focus to Matthew 6, where Jesus reveals another layer of His kingdom: righteousness. In this chapter, we transition from correcting misconceptions and false teachings (as we saw in Matthew 5) to practical actions that reflect our faith in God.

Three pillars of righteous living are highlighted by Jesus: giving, prayer, and fasting. It's not a question of "if" but "when" you engage in these acts, implying that these should be standard practices for the faithful. While these aren't the sole measures of righteousness, neglecting them can turn our other righteous deeds into displays of self-indulgence and arrogance.

Let me illustrate this with a personal story. When I was the pastor of Life Point Church, they generously contributed Gatorade and candy bars to the Odessa Middle School Bulldogs. Hearing about how these snacks lifted the spirits of the team made me genuinely proud. But, I'll confess, there was a fleeting moment when I yearned to meet the athletic director and claim recognition for this act of kindness.

In simple terms, I was seeking approval for my righteous actions, separate from God's approval. It was a moment of self-evaluation and repentance. God gently reminded me that His acknowledgment of this “deed” is sufficient. This isn't to say we should shun recognition and gratitude; it's about embracing the fact that God's pleasure far surpasses human praise.

Perhaps you've experienced a similar desire for external validation of your good deeds. It's human nature. We often wish someone would notice our good deeds or wonder if our pastor is aware of our acts of kindness. While appreciating that credit is valid, we must be content that God sees all, and His rewards are far better than man’s.

We're not alone in struggling with the desire for external validation for our good works. In Matthew 6:1-4, Jesus teaches us the first of three righteous actions that foster trust in God.

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 (Matthew 6:1).

Jesus begins by warning us against performing "acts of righteousness" to be seen by others, lest we forfeit the heavenly reward from our Father.

Now, you might wonder about the translation differences, with some versions using "alms" instead of "acts of righteousness." In Jesus’s time, giving alms to the poor and righteous acts were intertwined. It wasn't about earning salvation but about expressing faith. Righteous acts were seen as accumulating heavenly credit, while sinful deeds were deducted from this credit, an idea rooted in the book of Daniel (Daniel 4:27) and elsewhere in Scripture.

Proverbs 19:17 reinforces this notion, stating that kindness to the poor amounts to lending to the Lord. In essence, when you give to the destitute, you’re, in a way, lending to God, who can repay more than you could ever imagine.

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 (Matthew 6:2-4).

Jesus underlines this principle by emphasizing rewards in Matthew 6:2b and 4b, implying that giving to the needy brings both earthly and heavenly rewards. Yet, He cautions against making a spectacle of our generosity, as hypocrites do, for their reward is solely human praise.

The term hypocrite in Jesus' teaching is closely linked with the idea of reward. Hypocrites do good deeds not out of pure motives and compassion but for the sake of appearing righteous. Such actions, even though good, rise from selfish motives.

This tendency can lead to disappointment if the expected recognition is absent. It might even cause individuals to cease their good deeds when the applause dwindles. Similarly, losing a position or authority can reveal whether one's motives are selfless or personal.

During Jesus’s time, giving to the poor was believed to earn heavenly credit for the faithful. While we, as Protestant Evangelicals, believe in salvation by faith alone, righteous acts were seen as a natural expression of faith, not a means to earn salvation. Jesus' teachings on giving, prayer, and fasting (Matthew 6) convey the need to continually assess our motives.

Indeed, maintaining pure motives can be a daily battle. However, it's a battle worth fighting, as our motives profoundly affect our words and actions. God, unlike humans, peers into our hearts. What's on the outside is merely a reflection of our inner disposition.

In Matthew 6, Jesus encourages us to evaluate our motives consistently. When we give, pray, or fast, we must ask ourselves sincerely: Why am I doing this? Is it to boost my own image, or is it to honor God?

So, how do we respond to this teaching? There are two roads from which to choose. The first road is to dismiss the teaching altogether. It is your prerogative to live an unexamined life and continue to believe your motivation is always the best. Or you can confess that sometimes you seek the praise of others to validate your righteousness. In doing so, you are free to receive God’s help to love, express gratitude, and recognize the eternal significance of your actions—whether seen or unseen by those around us.

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