all my springs are in you

Monday, December 17, 2007

Psalm 87; Matthew 6:1-18

"Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven."
(Matthew 6:1)

This whole section, which discusses alms and prayer and fasting, concerns principally (again) the motivation of the heart in these spiritual disciplines, or acts of righteousness. It's possible that the opening phrase "practicing your righteousness" refers only to the first four verses - one way "righteousness" was used was in showing mercy or giving alms. But the theme is obviously the theme through verse 18.

"Beware" - it's so easy to get off center in this discipleship adventure. And in life generally it seems so natural for us to compare ourselves to others, or look for a sense of peace and balance totally in reference to those around us. Rather, Jesus says, give, pray, and fast in such a way that no one else knows about it - do these things "unto the Lord."

Now there is probably some exaggerated language used here (eg. "don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing", and should we only pray in our room with a shut door?). Should we ever tell someone that we're praying for them? Of course (better yet, pray with them right there without heaping up empty phrases and too many words...). And is it wrong to let anyone else know we're fasting, or giving to someone in need? I don't think so, but Jesus is so insightful as our Teacher, Savior and Lord to point out our tendency to subtly seek affirmation in our comments about our spirituality. I know I've done it plenty of times.

Spiritual disciplines, assumed to be practiced here by Jesus' disciples, are for seeking the Father and his reward - his acknowledgment, his blessing, a deepened relationship with him, and a transformed, converted life. Here again we have an echo of the Biblical principle that eventually you'll get what you really, really want, what you're "craving", what you're seeking first.

Our lives were birthed in God and "all our springs" are in him (Ps 87:7); while there is a very public, or communal, side to this life we receive and enter into, it cannot be found or nurtured apart from the secret place of the heart. Yes, give, pray, fast - and do it with a heart seeking to know the Father, and to be sure those springs of life are flowing full, fresh, and free.