Matthew 6:1-18
Practicing Righteousness Quietly
Read the passage
1“Be careful not to perform your righteous acts before men to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2So when you give to the needy, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward.
3But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
4so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
5And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward.
6But when you pray, go into your inner room, shut your door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
7And when you pray, do not babble on like pagans, for they think that by their many words they will be heard.
8Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.
9So then, this is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.
10Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
11Give us this day our daily bread.
12And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’
14For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive yours.
16When you fast, do not be somber like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward.
17But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
18so that your fasting will not be obvious to men, but only to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Berean Standard Bible
Read aloud
Jesus warns his disciples not to practice righteousness in order to be seen by other people. He gives three examples: giving to the needy, praying, and fasting. The issue is not whether these practices are good. It is whether the desire for applause has become more important than love for God and neighbor.
When Jesus describes giving, he uses vivid language about not letting the left hand know what the right hand is doing. He is not giving a bookkeeping rule; he is exposing the impulse to turn generosity into a performance. The Father sees what is hidden, and the person in need should not be made into a prop.
Jesus' teaching on prayer is equally personal. He tells disciples not to use empty repetition or public display and gives them words that begin with the Father's name. The prayer asks for God’s name to be honored, His kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth. It then asks for daily bread, forgiveness of debts, protection from temptation and rescue from the evil one. It turns our attention from self-presentation to dependence.
Fasting is also directed toward God rather than an audience. Jesus says to anoint the head and wash the face so that fasting is not advertised. This does not condemn communal worship or public acts of justice. It asks us to examine what we are trying to receive from other people's attention.
Jesus also warns that refusing to forgive others is incompatible with seeking the Father’s forgiveness. We cannot pray for mercy while defending a settled refusal to extend it. The Father already knows our needs before we ask; we approach Him honestly, without trying to earn a hearing through many words.
How We Know
Earlier, Jesus told His disciples to let people see their good deeds and glorify the Father. Here He warns against righteous acts performed to be seen and honored by people. The purpose of the act matters: directing attention to the Father differs from using the act to seek praise for ourselves. These neighboring teachings call for sincere service, whether noticed or hidden.
Questions
1 For whom should giving, praying, and fasting be done?
AnswerThey should be directed toward God rather than performed to gain admiration. The Father sees what is done in secret and rewards His people.
2 What does the Lord's Prayer ask for before daily bread and forgiveness?
AnswerJesus says the Father sees what is done in secret, then gives a prayer asking for God's name, kingdom, and will before asking for bread, forgiveness, and deliverance. The order reveals what kind of dependence he is teaching.
3 What warning follows the prayer for forgiveness?
AnswerJesus warns that those who refuse to forgive others will not receive the Father’s forgiveness. Seeking mercy calls us away from a heart that withholds it.
4 What quiet practice would help our household trust God?
AnswerChoose one hidden act of generosity, one honest prayer, or one modest fast that is appropriate for each person's health and age. Do not announce it afterward; let the practice turn attention toward God and the neighbor served.
What This Means for Us
Jesus is not against visible goodness; he is against goodness being used to purchase admiration. There is a difference between a public act that genuinely helps people and an act designed mainly to make the giver look generous. The question is where our heart is looking for its reward.
The Lord's Prayer also gives the household a durable center. We ask for God's name and kingdom, but we also ask for bread, forgiveness, and rescue from evil. Spiritual life meets ordinary needs by bringing them to the Father. Trust does not remove food, clothing, or tomorrow; it changes whom we ask to carry them.
Choose one practice that can be made less performative this week. Give without announcing, pray without theatrics, or fast in a healthy way that increases attention to God rather than attention to yourself.
Prayer
Father, you see what is hidden. Purify our motives when we give, pray, or fast; teach us to seek your kingdom, receive daily bread, forgive as we have been forgiven, and trust you for deliverance from evil. Amen.