Matthew 6:17 But as for you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 so that your fasting will not be noticed by people but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.
Jesus is in the middle of the greatest sermon of all time. He’s addressed issues with anger, lust, retaliation, and even teaching to love our enemies. But in this particular text, Jesus calls His people to a different standard. He brings up what the hypocrites do in their fasting and how they desire to be seen and admired by others. Jesus’ call to His followers to be different, to be set apart, to be holy. We are not called to do things the way the world does it, instead we are called to do things the way that His Word has commanded us to do.
Since we are now called to a higher standard in Jesus, our actions, our words, and our thoughts should change as we continue to give our hearts to the Lord. But we should be so thankful that God’s grace and mercy and love and faithfulness for us does not rely on our actions, but on His!
The apostle Peter says it like this: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” (1 Peter 2:9-10)
As you think through the holy calling on your life, take a moment to reflect on these questions:
Are you living a life that is up to the world’s standards or the Word’s standards? In other words, are you doing things (praying, reading, tithing, fasting, etc.) just to show others? Or are you doing them for the Lord? (Colossians 3:2, 23)
What action steps do you need to take in your faith journey to live out the calling on your life to be holy? (1 Peter 1:15-16)
What is in your heart? What are your desires? What are you prioritizing in your life? (Matthew 6:21, 33)
Thiago Roig
GO Youth Coordinator (South Metro ATL)
Very good thoughts to ponder. Thank you.