Acts of Righteousness

"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven."
Matthew 6:1

When Jesus spoke these words, he was talking to the religious people of the day. He went on to talk about three specific things that they were doing that did not honor God. He told them that they should not look for glory from men when they gave to the needy. He said they should pray privately, not publicly with loud voices, so as to not draw attention to themselves. Finally, he rebuked them for making sure everyone knew when they were fasting. This was the first known sermon that Jesus preached, and these things were at the top of his list to talk about.
    You see, the problem was this: These religious people wanted everyone to know when they did something good. It became their priority. They would disfigure their faces so people would know they were fasting. They would shout their prayers publicly so others would think they were ultra-religious. They would make a point to tell everyone how much they had given to the poor. It really doesn't sound all that much different than today, does it? What Jesus was pointing out is the truth that there is an eternal difference between religion and relationship with God. Acts that come from a religious person are motivated by a desire to be seen as good. Acts that come from someone in right relationship with God come from a heart that only wants to please him and do what he would do. Which are we? It is a question worth asking today.
    In each of the three things Jesus mentioned, giving, praying, and fasting, he told them that if they did these things to be seen by men, they already had their reward. In other words, the only reward they would have would be the praise they received from people. He told them that the Father had no rewards for this kind of behavior. But when we act as God acts. When we give, pray and fast for his glory, everything changes. Eternal rewards that we cannot comprehend are set in motion for us. The true mark of a God-pleasing person is giving no thought to the reward. It is always about the needs around us.
    If there is a hint of the old religious, man pleasing mentality within us, we must remove it. The time has come for us to do as Jesus did. Our 'acts of righteousness' must be done to honor him and touch other people with his love, grace and mercy. Certainly there are eternal rewards, but our reward now, is knowing that God has been glorified and his fame is being spread around the world. After all, he is the Famous One, not us.