The Real Star of the Show
Here’s a question to chew on – why do you do what you do?
In “The Will to Believe,” American psychologist and philosopher William James argues, among many things, that our beliefs shape our actions. For example, if I take a drink of water, it’s because I’m convinced that water will satisfy my thirst. In other words, behavior doesn’t exist in a vacuum – it’s a reflection of what you believe.
This a simple truth, but it can have a profound impact on your life. We’re in the middle of a multi-week series in the Sermon on the Mount, and we’ve already seen time and time again how Jesus is determined to get to the heart of the matter in each issue. Jesus understands that behavior modification isn’t a path to true, meaningful transformation. Instead, he’s committed to helping us change our beliefs, as he knows that this will have an undeniable effect on our actions.
It’s also the reason why Jesus often uses hyperbole in his teachings. If you need evidence, look no further than Matthew 5:29-30, when Jesus instructs us to cut off our right hand if it causes us to sin. This week’s passage also features some useful exaggeration:
“Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.” – Matthew 6:1-4, NLT
This passage is intriguing for several reasons, but especially as we have a conversation about our beliefs influencing our actions. On the surface, when you think about two people doing good deeds, you may imagine they have a similar belief system. However, when you think about the two examples in the previous passage – the person who does something good to be noticed by others and the person who gives to the needy in secret – you quickly realize how vastly different their perspectives really are.
The person who primarily cares about impressions doesn’t truly feel empathy or concern for the people who they are helping. They simply want to be the star of the show. Truthfully, they don’t care if anyone is actually helped as long as it looks like they are. And, as Jesus points out, these actions don’t bring about any sort of heavenly reward or impact.
Jesus’ commandment to give in secret is a call to examine what we believe about the true benefits of living righteously. The person who embodies the attitude of Jesus as they live righteously is the person who doesn’t care about accolades or impressions. Instead, this person believes that all the attention should be focused elsewhere, regardless of the magnitude of what they are doing.
Think back on what Jesus said only a few verses earlier in Matthew 5:16 – “In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” When you don’t care about getting any of the credit, you pave the way for people to see Jesus and experience the goodness of God’s kingdom on Earth, which is a far greater reward than any momentary praise or appreciation from other people.