To Be or Not to Be .... Noticed

Sharing with you from my quiet time today as I think through what I'm reading in Matthew 6. It helps me to write out some thoughts. Thinking about the first verse where it says, Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with our Father who is in heaven.  

That statement caught my attention as I thought back to Matthew 5:16 where it says, Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven. What's this? A contradiction? Don't be noticed? Do be seen? 

But there's a big difference. It's all in the intent. If I'm doing some good thing for the purpose of being noticed and bringing honor to myself, that's worthless. Worse than worthless. It gets me nowhere, gains me nothing of eternal value. It's all about me.

On the other hand, if my intent is in bringing attention and glory to God, then He says to let my good works shine on! Let people see how good and gracious and kind and providing and all that God is. It's all about Him. He's the answer to all their needs. Not me. Not you. 

We are simply a window to be seen through, to get a glimpse of God the Father a little more clearly. We are His hands and feet, to bring help to the needy, encouragement to the fainthearted, admonishment to the unruly, good to all, especially those who are of the household of faith, prayer for those who misuse us, blessing to those who curse us. That's a hard one.

My takeaway from the Word today — 

Don't be hypocritical to magnify myself.

Do be humble to magnify God.

It changes people. It changes us.

Painting ~ The Thick of the Plot 1924, George Goodwin Kilburne 1839-1924
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