For Fame and Glory or Just Because?
Wednesday, March 2nd, 2022
“…And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.” ~ Mt 6:4
I kinda have mixed feelings about today’s Gospel for a few reasons.
The Gospel gives three examples:
- The first one is about doing good deeds and how you want to avoid doing them so that other people see you, and instead do them in secret so that the Father who sees all that happens in secret will repay you in secret.
- The second example is about prayer. Refers to the people that like to out there kneeling against a wall praying so that other people can see them.
- The third examples discusses fasting. When you fast don’t look gloomy so that other people take pity on you. Do it in secret and pretend nothing’s happening so that the father who knows what’s happening in secret will repay you.
I have mixed feelings about this because there’s something useful about seeing examples of how the good people treat other people.
I find it useful, especially, in today’s world where all we see on the news is negative.
Everything is focused on negative side of things without examples of what is the right way of doing something.
Yes, we somewhat know what is the right thing to do and how to treat other people, but not seeing examples of it seems to highlight the negative.
Furthermore, it’s common for Christians to use these public examples of good deeds to shame the people doing them by brushing off the actions as them just showing off. Maybe, some people are, but not everyone.
I gain insight thinking about the main thread across the three examples.
To me, it’s the external versus the internal:
- Am I doing things to get external recognition, fame, and wins? Or,
- Am I doing it because it’s an expression of what I have inside, what I truly believe, and it just needs to come out?
When I love somebody, I just want to hug them, do good for them, and create great experiences for them not because I want their approval, but because I feel a need to show love to them in some shape or form.
How are you exhibiting your faith?
Are you doing it driven by external pressure where you feel there are certain checkboxes to fill because that’s what is expected from a follower of Christ? Or, are you doing it because it naturally comes out of you as an expression of your faith regardless of what other people may think?
In peace,
~Juan
