We live our lives wearing masks (figurative masks, not medical masks).  Jesus tells us to rid our lives of masks.  To quit seeking the approval of man.  To quit seeking the admiration of others.  To start examining the motivations of our hearts.  To start living for the Father, our Heavenly Father.  Jesus wants us to live real, authentic lives – but live them for God’s glory – not for ourselves.  Because even taking off our masks – to be real – for the purpose of garnering attention from others – is still missing the mark.  Be seen living righteously, but don’t live righteously to be seen.

1) Live Righteously (vs. 1)  Our righteousness has two dimensions: Moral Righteousness and Religious Righteousness.  Our moral righteousness should possess kindness, honest, purity, etc.  In other words, our moral righteous has to do with our character.  Our religious righteous is tied up with our religious activity (giving, praying, and fasting).  So when Jesus says to let our light shine before men – it’s calling us to live a morally righteous life.  But when it comes to our religious activity, it’s to remain hidden.  Be seen living righteously, but don’t live righteously to be seen.  Our righteousness is revealed in the secret places of life.

2) Give Righteously (vs. 2-4)  Jesus starts by saying don’t let your generosity be known.  Our hearts, left unchecked, want to receive credit for our generosity.  We want people to know the sacrifice we are taking on.  And we do it in much subtle ways, like “Did you hear about this person in need?…I helped them, you should too.”  When we receive credit for our generosity, we’ve given up our heavenly reward for a cheap earthly reward.  If we become self-aware of our generosity, it will turn into self-praising.  We begin to keep records of how generous we are – even without telling anyone.  Jesus hits our hearts at the core here – we still seek congratulations and approval from man – even if it is ourselves!  Let me simplify this one for you.  Give it and forget it!

3) Pray Righteously (vs. 5-8)  Don’t pray in a way where people admire you.  The hours spent praying privately should bring far more glory to God than the minutes spent praying publicly.  Maybe we’ll see more prayers answered if we are more concerned about our hearts before God instead of our words before man.  So how do we pray righteously?  Do pray privately. 

4) Fast Righteously (vs. 16-18)  Fasting is hard.  Don’t waste your heavenly reward for someone around at church to whisper to another person at church, “Don’t ask them to go to lunch today, they are fasting.”  That’s just not worth it!  Do fast with a purpose.  I believe we fast for the advancement of God’s Kingdom.  That might be someone’s salvation.  That might be a missionary movement.  That might be clarity of God’s will for your life.  Maybe you fast so that you focus so much on God that you can’t focus on yourself.  Living righteously is about becoming less self-aware and become more God-aware.

Let your good deeds be seen. But don’t do good deeds to be seen.  Take off the mask.  Don’t give up your heavenly reward for what you hope others will think of you.  Be real. Be real with Jesus for Jesus.  Be real with others so they may see the hope of Jesus in you.  Because everyone…You know this.  Because everyone needs the hope of Jesus.

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