A Genuine Love (Part 2)

"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 NIV)

I'm spending a second day on this topic because it answers so many questions I had about walking together with God.  On one hand, we are told to "let our light shine."  On the other, we are told not to practice our "righteousness in front of others."  So, what do we do?  Do we let people see our good deeds?  The answer:  it all comes down to love.

"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 NIV)

Well-meaning business minded people have taken me aside to "teach" me the way the real world of finances works.  They will talk to me about marketing strategies, numbers of people, and things I should be saying to get more money out of people.  I've had well-meaning religious minded people try to do the same with me - explaining that I need to teach people to tithe (the practice of giving 10% of their income to God, supporting God's workers who serve them.)  But, I still continue to teach in ways that confuse and frustrate these people.

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices--mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law--justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel. (Matthew 23:23-24 NIV)

You see, there's nothing wrong with giving 10% of your income to the church.  I know Life Bridge gladly receives the tithes of many families who worship with us.  Not only that, their giving worships God and supports His workers...like me.  In the New Testament, the examples of giving are far greater than 10%.  People sold land, and holdings.  They sold everything and pulled it together so God's work would continue.  Who knows, they may have even been tithing to the temple at the same time!

The problem is not with giving or the amount you give.  In fact, Jesus told them they should have been tithing.  Giving is a part of our walk together with God.  In the earlier Matthew passage, Jesus starts the sentence with "When you give."  He assumes you will give.  The problem, though, is with our motivation.  It's a matter of the heart.  Hypocrisy is play-acting.  It's showing the whole world what you're doing so they will see how great you are, but inside you are only doing it for the recognition or some other ulterior motives.

Teachers have a second problem.  Our teaching needs to point to God's greater priorities or we run the risk of becoming hypocrites as well.  We can't be telling people not to worry about what they will eat or where they will sleep, then work on the "perfect sermon" to get them to give.  Teachers, like non teachers, need to be content teaching people to seek first His Kingdom and His Righteousness and then trust that He will take care of the rest.  We need to practice what we preach so we aren't "play acting" either.

"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.  (Matthew 6:5-6 NIV)

These concepts don't just apply to money.  They apply to prayer.  They apply to marriage and sexuality.  They apply to work and leisure.  They apply to every relationship we have, everything we say, and everything we do.  That's a tall order!

How, then, do we live a life that is not "play-acting" for others to see, yet is a visible light shining before people?  The answer is, simply, love.  Genuine love for God will affect our words and our actions.  We won't be saying or doing those things because we want to show off or have others see them.  We will say and do those things simply because we love God.  There's no hypocrisy in genuine love.

But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. (Jude 1:20-21 NIV)

Does your life reflect a genuine love for God?  Do you feel like you are "play-acting" that love at times?  How can you move the "play-acting" to a genuine love?