Matthew 6:1-13 - Do the Right Thing, Rightly!

Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.
And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.
In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Not exactly praying in secret
photo by  flickr user, Xiaozhuli,
 used under the created commons license.
check out more photos at:
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Jesus wants us to do the right thing for the right reason.  The hypocrites He talks about are doing the right thing. It is a good thing to give to the poor or give to the Church. It is a good thing to be in prayer to our Father in Heaven.  But if our motivation in doing these things is so others will think we are really great people then we will receive no reward from God.  Our reward would be to have the praise of men and since that is what we would be striving for then, when we receive it, that's all we get.

How much better to give alms in secret- telling no one as you mail a check to a relief organization or quietly hand some money to a homeless person on the street.  Far superior is it to pray when no one else is around, in a room with the door closed than to stand on street corners (which I have seen).  Happy is the one who offers humble prayers during a "prayer breakfast" at church than the one who carefully crafts his words to sound spiritual to his friends.

O Lord, keep me humble for I do not want to be like the hypocrites who do all manner of good things for the wrong reasons.  Help me to seek my reward from You.  Like the publican who stood in the back of the synagogue and dared not even look up to heaven, may my prayers and acts of giving be done with a modest spirit. Amen.

Just a note about the "Vain Repetition" mentioned by Jesus. It has been quoted for years as a reason not to prayer printed prayers but Jesus isn't saying that all our prayers must be spontaneous and in our own words. Indeed, Jesus in instructing us to pray, tells us to "pray like this" and then He gives us the words to actually say.  And should be not pray the Psalms? Yes, God listens to us when we talk to Him in our own words but sometimes our own words just aren't as good as others.