Do not be Self-righteous

Ancient Manuscript: Gospel of Thomas

Saying:  14

My Reflection on Verse:

When this is first read it seems contrary to the other Gospels.  God teaches us to pray, fast and to give alms.  Imagine doing these three things to be seen.  Isn’t that what the Pharisees and Sadducees were doing?  They were in the public view making their sacrifices known to all.  They were actually being self-righteous instead of pious.

When we boast about our prayers as if we are more in tuned with God because of our prayers we are causing people to walk away from God.  I want us to think about this a second how many times do you pray on your own.  Do you pray most of the time in public?  See many of us do not even consider when we ae openly praying people may feel as if we think that we are better than them.  There are times to pray in public.  Yet, if you are praying in public for attention you are living outside the will of God.  So be careful when you pray in public if you are doing it for others to see remember that this action is not for Jesus but for your own self-righteous behavior.

When we boast about the times that we fast we are outside the will of God.  Fasting should be a time in which you commune with God.  A time of reflection and meditation that helps you grow closer to God.  Yet, how many people brag about the times that they meditate and fast.  People who boast because they spent so many days fasting to get closer to God are actually doing the opposite.  Doesn’t this make the person self-righteous?  If they had fasted and meditated and kept it to them wouldn’t the fasting led to greater commune to God.  Yet, instead of keeping to ourselves we go out and share it.  Think about how many people who have felt less of themselves because they haven’t fasted like others that they know.

When we boast about helping poor we are not doing what God wants.  Should we not help the poor in secret?  Are we giving out of a heart of joy instead of a heart of boasting?  Think about the people that you see that make a public display of helping others.  Doesn’t it make you feel that you are not doing what you should do?  Doesn’t it also make you feel less than helpful because you might not be able to give what the other person gives?  You think that your gift is not helping.  When you give wanting people to see what you have given you are affecting those that give what they can give no matter how small.  You are showing that you are better off.  God calls us to give to the poor in quiet.  We need to help those that need poor without boasting.  When you give to those that need help in secret you make a bigger impact than when you want others to know what you have given in a public display.

The last part of the verse helps further explain why you should not be self-righteous.  When you are served something you should consume it without pushing it away saying that this is against my religion.  When you tell someone that you cannot eat something because of your religious beliefs you are actually telling the person that they are not as religious as you.  Imagine meeting someone for the first time and trying to witness to them.  They are trying to learn about God from us.  Would this not make them think that they cannot ask Jesus in their heart because of the words you say?  Your words are powerful making sure that you are not speaking out of a self-righteous goal.  Instead speak with the heart of God and you will see more people will accept god because of the way you have acted.

All in all what we are to learn is not to do things so others can see it.  We are to be careful of what we say because it can turn people off of God.  People need to know that we are also sinners who have been forgiven by God.  When you present your story this way you are making a much bigger impact than someone who brags that they are doing things that are more Christian like than others.

Questions:

Do you do things because of a Christian heart?  Are you doing things so people can see what you are doing to help others?  Are you boasting about what you are doing?  Are you keeping the things that you are doing for God between you and God?