Salt & Light Engage the Culture
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You are a child of the
light, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation ... you shine in the
world.
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Today 'Seed:
"Be
especially careful when you are
trying to be good so that you don't make a performance out of
it. It might be good theater, but the God who made you won't be
applauding." Matthew 6:1 (MSG)
If you grew up anywhere near Baptists, you probably remember the children's Sunday school song, "This Little Light of Mine." The intention behind the song is good. God's character must shine through our lives if we are to be effective change-agents for the Kingdom. But if we are supposed to be salt and light, why does Jesus caution His disciples otto practice righteousness in front of others? You might respond, "Well, He is really talking about pride. We should do God's will without displaying it." You would be right, if that's what this verse means. Unfortunately, the English doesn't capture the Hebrew idiom here. Once we understand the idiom, we will have a greater insight into Jesus' warning.
The
Greek verb eleemosunen encompasses the entire English
phrase, "practice your righteousness." But this is really a Jewish
idiom, not an exhortation toward personal ethics. The idiom is about acts of
charity. In other words, practicing righteousness is a shorthand way of
recalling the three required acts of religious observance -
charity, prayer and fasting. Jesus is not telling His disciples to
avoid these things. He is telling them that their motivation for doing
them is not to be governed by public display. This is about the manner
and motive, not about the act itself. So, Jesus is really saying,
"Pray, fast and give without the intention to be recognized for what you are
doing." Does this mean that we are to pray, fast and give entirely in
secret. Yes, if that's what it takes to keep our egos down. But no, not if we
have already settled the issue of recognition. Do everything for the audience
of One. Let Him be glorified - and the rest of it will work itself out without
another thought.
Are
we to pray, fast and give with a reward in mind? Yes, we are. But the reward
that we have in mind is not celebrity status as a great religious person. The
reward is to hear the words, "Well done, my good and faithful
servant. Enter into your master's joy."
Notice
that Jesus assumes that His disciples will perform these Jewish
religious rites. Not once does He suggest they are no longer required. Prayer,
fasting and charity are essential for growth in godliness. Why? Because they
put aside our agendas and focus our actions on God's agenda. Just doing them
brings us closer to Him. The issue that Jesus addresses is why we do
them, not if we do them.
Do
you want to increase your righteousness today? Do you want to do those things
that emulate God's character and draw you closer to Him? Then pray, fast and
give. It actually doesn't matter how you feel about praying, fasting
and giving. Do them no matter how you feel about doing them. Just remember to
clear the motivation issue first. Do them for Him - and the rest will be
easy.
Keyword:
practice righteousness, pray, fast, give, eleemosunen, Matthew 6:1
The fact is, culture eats strategy
for lunch. You can have a good strategy in place but if you don't have the
culture and the enabling system, the [negative] culture of the organization will
defeat the strategy."] --Dr. Samuel Chand
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Renew
Your Mind
"Understanding is the Master Key that unlocks the
doors to all your goals ambitions and desires. Its is the ability to interpret
life as God sees it-- the ability to see the total picture that God sees of a
person or situation"
--Dr. Mike Murdock, The Wisdom
Center
1 John
1:7 (MSG) But if wewalk in the
light, God himself being the light, we
also experience a shared life with one another, as the sacrificed blood of
Jesus, God's Son, purges all our sin.
Ephesians 5:8-9 (HCSB) 8 For you were once darkness, but now |
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