I'm musing on the Sermon on the Mount again.
I'll blame it on Brian McLaren, as I'm reading his 'The secret message of Jesus'. I've started some potential musings on the Beatitudes, but want to comment on the 'secrecy' of giving, praying, and fasting in Matthew 6.
“But when you help a needy person, do it in such a way that even your closest friend will not know about it. Then it will be a private matter.” Matt 6:3,4 Good News Bible.
“But when you pray, go to your room, close the door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what you do in private, will reward you.” Matt 6:6 Good News Bible
“When you practice some appetite-denying discipline to better concentrate on God, don't make a production out of it.” Matt 6:16 The Message
I've talked more than once about CARTS, the ministry I help with on Friday nights. As I again think about what Jesus said about giving in secret, not blowing your own horn, not making a production out of it, I wonder if that is what I am doing.
Oh, I have other reasons for talking about it as well—like encouraging people to actually start living out the Gospel, not just talking about it.
But it still makes me think.
So, if you think I've been doing anything but 'giving in secret', I apologize.
Not for doing it, but for talking about it.
Notes on 1 John: Part 2, The Two Assurances
19 hours ago
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4 comments:
Hey,Al, I don't think there is anything wrong about talking about it. Obviously Jesus was talking about the piousness of the pharisee. I think coming from a point of revealing injustice in the world, along side the reality of the Kingdom is a good thing. And if it encourages someone to get of the bench, and on to the field of faith. Than that's a good thing. God knows the heart.
1) Not giving
2) giving, talking about it and then talking about talking about it
3) giving, talking about it
4) giving, not talking about it
Here is how I'd arrange them in order of undesirable. #1 being the worse.
Works well for me, Sabio (except that I'm afraid this post puts me under point #2 :( .)
@Al
Yes, I know, I was kidding.
Sort of.
Even to us Buddhist types, it is clear that speaking of the good one thinks one is doing builds a sense of self that is undesirable.
But if it is about not loving, talking about being loving is still better than that, eh?
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