And the Winner is . . .
And the Winner Is . . .
“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of people, to be seen by them. Otherwise, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.” (Matt. 6:1)
Pretending
Matthew 6 begins with Jesus teaching about the substance of our spirituality, specifically the reasons why we do what we do. His purpose is to show us what is pleasing to God versus what is empty and fake. To illustrate, He makes examples of certain “spiritual men” who did right things but with wrong motivations. He called them hypocrites, a word which means an actor under an assumed character. A stage player. A pretender—not the real thing.
These verses prompt us to stop and examine the authenticity of our spiritual lives. Ask yourself: Am I really seeking God or just going through the motions of church and a morning devotional? Am I really talking with God or just throwing words in His direction? Am I even listening? Am I trying to create or protect a reputation, or am I really working to develop godly character? Am I the real deal or a pretender?
For Real
We live in troubling and challenging times. Our media, our schools, even some of our churches are moving away from God’s Word and His truth, relying on autonomous human thinking and an unbiblical notion of individual freedom. “Spirituality” as defined by our pluralistic, anything-goes culture isn’t the solution. God’s blessing is reserved for those who hunger and thirst for His righteousness‚ as defined by the Bible—the definer of what’s real.
Bottom Line
It’s time to get real about living for God. God isn’t looking for actors; He wants the real thing.