Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven. So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. Matthew 6:1-2
Matthew 6:1-6 deals with pride and how it should be controlled in giving, prayer, and fasting. The Bible has many references to pride. They carry a common theme that pride is not accepted by our Father.
Pride in giving, prayer, and fasting is not about the act, but about being seen by others. Jesus is not saying to stop giving, praying or fasting before others but do so with humility and in a humble manner.
I remember years ago eating lunch in a Wendy’s as a well-dressed young man sat down at a table in the middle of the restaurant. While his prayer was silent his actions gained the attention of everyone eating. Bent over in his chair and head down he placed his chest with arms spread out across his table. He was like that for about a minute, sat up straight and proceeded to eat while reading his Bible. His actions made it very clear to everyone there that he was reading a Bible. That table was his stage and he wanted us to all see it.
The other night I picked up pizza for Kathleen and me. At a table in the corner were three couples. Waiting on my order I noticed they dropped their heads for a few seconds as each couple held hands. Raising their heads they started eating. If I had not turned around at that very instant I would have never noticed them. That table was not their stage for the rest of the restaurant…it was their temporary altar thanking God for the food that he had placed before them.
One is private, motivated by humility and fulfilled by God while the other is flashy, goaded by pride, and rewarded by man.
