Ed, my neighbor next door, says he was coerced into going out on Halloween evening with his six-year-old grandson. Ed claims Rodney, his grandson, rules his parents and that he threw such a fit demanding his grandpa be in a costume Ed ended up wearing a convict's costume supplied by his daughter. Ed wanted to stay out on the sidewalk in front of houses, but Rodney insisted his grandpa come to the doors with him. Everyone recognized Ed and said the costume sure suited him, which got Ed a bit concerned as to why they kept saying that. Ed was more than a little hassled about the whole thing. Ed claims it took five cigarettes and a long drink of whiskey to settle his nerves after the hassle this Halloween. Seems that what Ed told me may not be the whole truth.
Ruby, Ed's wife, has a different version of the Halloween evening, one where Ed was more into wearing the costumes and going to the doors than his grandson. I have often wondered if Ed does shade the truth to his liking depending on who he is talking to. I think he also tends to be an actor of sorts. I have found he sometimes acts as if it was someone else's idea when it was his own.
Acting a part often comes with putting on a costume. It is fun to pretend to be what or who we are not. One long standing charge against Christians is they are hypocrites - those who have a pretence of goodness, but are only putting on a masquerade of virtue. Jesus warned that we need to test ourselves or search our hearts for our motives.
God not only sees what we do, but he also knows why we do it. Jesus used the term hypocrite, because some gave to the needy, prayed and fasted to be seen and applauded by others. They were more concerned with how they looked giving money to the poor than the needy. They gave long prayers meant to impress people, rather than sincerely, privately and simply asking for help from God. They made it obvious they were fasting so people would applaud them for fasting. People can be impressed with how we help the needy, how boldly we pray and how dramatically we fast, but that will be our reward. When others are impressed with us we may feel satisfied, but is an empty honour because it will not be rewarded by God in heaven.
Jesus warned that we should not look generous, spiritual and devout as a way of being admired before others. It isn't others we need to be concerned most about, but God. Jesus instructed that those who give to the needy should do it secretly or privately because God will reward them then. Likewise, praying and fasting are to be done before God alone. What we do is to be done in love to God privately, not to show off before others or for the glory of ourselves.
