A few years back, I attended a conference at a summer camp in central California. As I was walking around during free time, I noticed all kinds of plaques: plaques on buildings, plaques on tables, plaques on pianos, and even plaques on trees! Turns out these plaques had names on them, names of those who had donated generously to the camp. (I wonder how long it would take for the entire camp to be covered in plaques!)
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus addresses the motivations behind our spiritual practices, specifically, generosity, prayer, and fasting. He warns us against putting on a show with these “acts of righteousness.” To get our attention, Jesus paints this ridiculous picture of someone hiring a trumpet player to announce their donation to the poor. (I wonder if they also asked for a plaque.)
When we use our “acts of righteousness” to announce what amazing people we are, there isn’t really anything righteous about them. What’s supposed to be of benefit to others turns out to be all about us. It’s like actors putting on a show for the sole purpose of getting applause. There’s no joy in the act itself. It’s all about getting that dopamine hit from the applause. The problem is that kind of reward doesn’t last. We just wind up craving more.
But what if God were the source of our reward rather than the applause of others? What if we didn’t have to put on a show? And, what if God’s reward came before what we did, as a gift? The beautiful thing is this is exactly what God has done. In Jesus, God has said yes to us, warts and all. In Jesus’ death and resurrection, God has shown how much we mean to him, how much he loves us, radically so! And that means we can experience the strange reward of loving God and those around us because we are loved, not so that we’ll be loved. And that makes all the difference in the world.
Reflection:
- Think about a situation where someone did “acts of righteousness” to get other people’s approval. What did that look like? As you think about it, how does it make you feel?
- Now think about a situation where someone did good things for others “just because.” What did that look like? How does that make you feel?
- Imagine loving God and others because you are loved and not so you will be loved. What would that kind of life look like? What do you need from God for that to happen?