There is something about our human nature that makes us want to come off better than we really are. Normal people don't want others to think or talk negatively about them, and if it ever does happen, a lot of people will go to extreme measures to correct the record about themselves. When we do something dumb, we'll try our best to make it seem less so; when we do something good, we make sure we are noticed. Our public image has to be better than who we are, (at the very least, who we are), and by no means any less than who we actually are. My only explanation of all this is what Jeremiah wrote: "The heart of a man is utterly wicked and who can understand it?"
The more you see, the more I give
Jesus understood this concept very well and spent almost 1/3 of His sermon on the mount discussing this matter. To Jesus, it is all quite different than what we encounter in this world. Matthew Chapter 6 starts of with the following words: "Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven." He then goes on to talk about charity, prayer, and relationships and the same thought continues throughout-- don't act better than you really are to receive praise and acknowledgement from others. Today's culture and society teaches and encourages the complete opposite. If you did something nice but others don't know about it, then it's a total waste. Social media has been great at exacerbating this problem. GoFundMe allows you to put your name and a message next to your donation; other giving sites allow you to share that you donated with others. A Berkley white paper looked at this subject from a purely secular standpoint and found that people will be much more generous when they expect reciprocation, and when they feel it will help their reputation. Consider how selfish we humans are-- even when we give, it is many times for our own benefit.
Private christian, honest christian
The concept translates from giving to other parts of our life. Who we are privately is much more important to God than who we are publicly. The world is a big stage, and everyone is acting and pretending to be something. Don't practice your righteousness publicly to be noticed. Now, having said that, don't act like an idiot either; be yourself and work on yourself. Perhaps when people see the real you, they'll even help you change a thing or two. Be honest with others, be honest with God, and be honest with yourself. Practicing public righteousness when in reality we are far from that is the very definition of hypocrisy. Very few things, if anything, is more honoring to God then a christian who is a christian when no one is watching and no one is there to praise you.
Jesus knew what people struggled with 2,000 years ago, and apparently the problem has not gone away. During these holidays, and Christmas specifically, keep Matthew Chapter 6 in mind. Check yourself-- How real am I? What are my motives? What is my private christian life really like? If you find a discrepancy, give it the attentions it requires; talk to someone if necessary.
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