Daily Prayer - What is our motivation?

Good Thursday morning, my friends.

 

Have you ever noticed the contrast between these two passages in Matthew's Gospel:

 

"You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."

(Matthew 5:14-16)

 

and

 

    "Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

    "So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.  But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."

(Matthew 6:1-4)

 

So which is it – do your good deeds so that they may be seen by others or in secret so that God will reward you?

 

More and more I have come to actually appreciate these apparent contradictions in scripture.  Why?  Because they challenge me to spend more time trying to discern what God is really saying.  In this particular example the key is in the phrases "to be seen by them" and "to be honored by others" in the second quote.  It (always) comes back to our motivation.  Why are we giving (or fasting, or helping, or whatever)?  If it is to glorify God and give thanks for all He has done for us, then He will be pleased with our sacrifice.  If it is for other selfish reasons, then we are wasting our money, time, etc.

 

Consider this as you do your Christmas shopping this season… unless of course you finished that in August like a few people I know!

 

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Bruce

 

Loving Father, Help us remember the birth of Jesus,

that we may share in the song of the angels,

the gladness of the shepherds,

and worship of the wise men.

 

Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world.

Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting.

Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings, and teach us to be merry with clear hearts.

 

May the Christmas morning make us happy to be thy children, and Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts, forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus' sake. Amen.

 

by Robert Louis Stevenson

 

(http://www.happywink.org/christmas-day/christmas-prayers.html)

 

Bruce MacPherson macpherson@celtic.ca / Blog: The Celtic Christian / Home: 613.489.4174 Cell: 613.720.0821 You are receiving this email because you have requested it or I felt you would be interested in this material. If you would like to be removed from this email list, please do not hesitate to contact me at the above email address. Likewise, if you know of someone else who you believe would appreciate receiving these messages, please let me know.