#13 Jesus instructions on giving, praying, fasting.

There is a lot to unpack in Jesus’s instruction’s on giving, praying and fasting. But it all boils down to intentions and not wanting to impress others with your so called “goodness” or “theatrics of goodness.” 

We’ve all seen the movies with the socialite who is involved with charities for clout and connection, to be seen as the elite, able to give large amounts, in a class of their own. 

They bid large sums at auctions scanning around the room to see whose watching. These types are quick to brag or make hints that they gave generously. 

We’ve seen the people that backwards brag while fasting by complaining about how long or how hungry.  Or how about those who try to impress us with a powerful inaugural address of a prayer.  What Jesus is saying in the passage below is do not do your good deeds or showcase your religiosity to be seen by others as good.  (Remember even Jesus says he is not good only God is good Mark 10: 18)

This is not to say you cannot let your light shine, after all your good works and your faith has the ability to inspire others and draw them near to God. But what we are saying is watch your intentions. You should be driven by your desire to please God. Your prayers, fasting and giving must be authentic and done out of the goodness of your heart. 

When I think about these scriptures below, I think about my grandpa. If he thought you were working hard for free or if you were in need, he would in private without boasting, quickly try to slip you money. 

My Aunt Billie Ruth made me a beautiful quilt for my High School graduation, it was handstitched for hours, pieced together square by square, carefully in the pattern she chose.  She even stitched my name, and I believe the date in the corner. 

My Pa saw how hard she was working for my graduation gift. I remember, he tried to slip her money for the quilt, to pay her for all her effort. Of course, Aunt Billie Ruth would not take it. She loved me and wanted to give me something ultra special for my graduation gift. But that was my Pa’s ways.

Let’s say a family member was in trouble, and they were taking up money to help the struggling family member. Many would boldly yell out what they wanted to give. My Pa would stay quiet and after all the hoopla, he would quietly and discreetly hand the one fundraising his donation, which was often much greater than others. He did not yell out to be seen. He did not boast. He just quietly and discreetly gave. He was not giving to be seen by his siblings and family members as the one that did or could give more. 

He did it because he had compassion for the struggling family member, by the grace of God go I.

In regard to prayers, there is nothing wrong with giving a beautiful prayer with perfectly placed words. But I think God like’s it when we are just authentic, real, talk to him without flowery dramatics. 

God, I am sad. Help me. 

God, you know my financial needs, please help me. 

God this situation needs your attention. Please help so and so. 

God, I feel ____________, help me. 

 

A few weeks ago, I realized that we have not had a lot of joy. Everything has been so serious on a few fronts. Life had become ground hogs’ day with anticipation of dreaded change.

I prayed a simple prayer, ” God we need joy, laughter.”

Well, my daughter’s friend and her mom asked me to go shopping with the girls. In one of the stores, I noticed the silliest of hats. It was a black cowboy hat with rhinestone fringe hanging off the entire brim. I mean it was Rhinestone Cowboy all over. I kept seeing very normal, non-flashy people, regular folks, not models, more like people from the show The Office grab the hat. You get the picture. Person after person went by the hat, picked it up and carried it around the store as they continued to shop. I went up to several, ” Are you going dancing?  Do you have some special event, concert?  

They all simply and calmly said, ” No. ” 

They were not sure where they would wear it. 

I am not sure why but as I shopped, I started imagining people in robes with coffee sitting in their living room with nowhere to go wearing this loud over the top bedazzled jeweled cowboy hat. For some reason, when my friend came over to me, I started getting tickled over that idea. Maybe I too needed to buy a happy hat. Maybe I needed a fringed rhinestone hat to go with my robe. 

I mean I started laughing so hard that tears flowed down my face. We were all so tickled over the ridiculousness of the hat that I had my friend take a picture of the hat, with matching fringed shorts, and I think vest or shirt. It was a jim-dandy get up. I am sure you are thinking where on earth was she shopping? Seriously, it was a regular store. I have not laughed so hard like that in a long time. 

Then, another day I was in TJ Maxx, and I got the tickle bug again about this necklace I was looking at for my friend’s birthday. The boy behind the counter, and I started laughing so loud as we talked about the necklace. I started laughing that uncontrollable loud laugh. Steve said he could hear me laughing from the back of the store. 

The kids were like, ” Mom, I haven’t heard you laughing like that in a while.”

Then, I realized the simple private prayer I made about joy. 

Who knew God would give me a big laugh over a big gawdy hat or a funky fish necklace. 

I sure am glad that simple prayer worked. 

So, in a nutshell:

Be authentic. Don’t boast. Don’t do good things or religious things to be seen by men. 

Do it because you want to please your Heavenly Father & do most of it in private. 

Bible Reading

Matthew 6: 1-18 “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.

² “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. ³ But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Prayer

⁵ “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. ⁶ 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. ⁷ And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. ⁸ Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

⁹ “This, then, is how you should pray:

¹⁴ For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Fasting

¹⁶ “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ¹⁷ But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, ¹⁸ so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.