Practicing Piety Before Others; An Abomination

“Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven." (Matt 6:1 NRSV)

“Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.” (Luke 20:46-47)

Beware! Beware of making a show of your faith. If one has to make a show of it, then they ought to examine themselves and question whether it is really faith in God that inspires them or if it is that they are trying to inspire others with their own goodness. The latter will not instill faith. Faith comes from the Word alone who is Jesus the Christ. 

A servant of God is a servant of his people. A servant of God is not one who stands before others and says, "Look at me. See how devout I am!" A servant of God will kneel before others to help them put on their shoes and they will do this quietly without alerting the world to their good deed. 

Jesus was a wandering teacher and preacher. If he owned anything, it was the clothes on his back. He came to this world for the sake of others, not for himself, and then he told us that we too must deny ourselves if we would be his followers.

He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. (Mark 8:34)

False piety, the obscene showing of our own righteousness is an abomination. It has caused many to have faith in their own works. No man's works can save him. Faith alone in Christ alone will inspire us to love and serve our God and his children quietly according to the gifts that he has given us. 

Get rid of those fancy robes; quit with the pious words that seem so pious yet are self-aggrandizing. Speak and act, as Jesus did, for the sake of others not for yourself. After all, he did not have to die for himself. He died for the sake of the whole world. Then, rejoice for you have been called to take up your cross and follow him!

God's Peace - Pr. J