“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 people. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to God, who is unseen.” ~Matthew 6: 5-6a
In chapter six in the book of Matthew, Jesus begins to talk about giving to the poor and how to pray. Jesus even gives an example of prayer in verse nine- the Lord’s Prayer. In verses five and six Jesus says to not show off while praying, but instead to pray in your room with the door closed.
I’ve recently seen two movies, Wag the Dog and National Treasure 2. In both movies a character wanted credit for their accomplishments. In Wag the Dog, the Dustin Hoffman character wanted credit for fooling the public with his great production of a war. In National Treasure 2, the bad guy wanted credit for finding the treasure. Both were depicted as bad in the movie and both ended up being killed. This isn’t the best parallel to the book of Matthew. But, in both circumstances the characters wanted to be the person praying, standing in the synagogue being seen by all the people.
In the real world I don’t think we are far off from the hypocrite on the street corner or the characters in the movies. I’m not speaking to everyone here, but I think quite a majority. In each of us there is a little bit that likes to be noticed, seen, and even admired. I think this is what the hypocrites in verse five wanted. They wanted to be noticed, seen, and even admired. Are there places that you see this? At church? Work? On the street corner?
Jesus is calling us to be radically different. It is a radical that should make us step back and look at ourselves and to see the motives for our thoughts and actions. “Am I doing this to be seen or because I love God and love others?”
In chapter six in the book of Matthew, Jesus begins to talk about giving to the poor and how to pray. Jesus even gives an example of prayer in verse nine- the Lord’s Prayer. In verses five and six Jesus says to not show off while praying, but instead to pray in your room with the door closed.
I’ve recently seen two movies, Wag the Dog and National Treasure 2. In both movies a character wanted credit for their accomplishments. In Wag the Dog, the Dustin Hoffman character wanted credit for fooling the public with his great production of a war. In National Treasure 2, the bad guy wanted credit for finding the treasure. Both were depicted as bad in the movie and both ended up being killed. This isn’t the best parallel to the book of Matthew. But, in both circumstances the characters wanted to be the person praying, standing in the synagogue being seen by all the people.
In the real world I don’t think we are far off from the hypocrite on the street corner or the characters in the movies. I’m not speaking to everyone here, but I think quite a majority. In each of us there is a little bit that likes to be noticed, seen, and even admired. I think this is what the hypocrites in verse five wanted. They wanted to be noticed, seen, and even admired. Are there places that you see this? At church? Work? On the street corner?
Jesus is calling us to be radically different. It is a radical that should make us step back and look at ourselves and to see the motives for our thoughts and actions. “Am I doing this to be seen or because I love God and love others?”
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