By Augustus Henry (PhD)
In Matthew 6 Jesus said, “Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore, when thou do thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward.”
If humans are your audience, hypocrisy follows
What Causes Hypocrisy? At the root of hypocrisy is fear and low self-esteem. (www.straighttalkcounseling.org). Hypocrisy is lack of integrity – in public you do one thing, in private, your behaviour is completely different. The whole notion of hypocrisy is to be viewed better or differently than you really are. In such a situation, your self-worth, self-esteem, and prestige comes from what people think of you, not what you are. Hypocrisy is also a cry for acceptance – that they may have glory of men. Verse 6 of our scripture for this message is clear: when you do good, do not blow your trumpet. Essentially, the good that you do is no good when you blow your trumpet. Trumpet-blowing is seeking recognition from human beings. The question in verse 1 is, if you expect recognition from man, why would you anticipate rewards from God? If your audience is people, hypocrisy is always the result.
Self-attention and hypocrisy lead to anxiety
Hypocrites toot their horns because people are watching, or they want people to watch. That puts so much pressure on us based on those human standards, we turn into puppets of our society; and when we cannot conform to those expectations, we begin to fall apart, and our thinking become irrational (https://www.smith.edu/ourhealthourfutures/socialpress.html). That is why some people will spend $10,000 on a wedding, even though they may still be living with their parents.
They have a need to blow that trumpet.
That is why some of us will buy a $40, 000 car even though we can only afford one for $20,000.
That is why our vacations often max-out our credit cards.
We have a need to blow that trumpet.
There is a saying, “poor people buy things that make them look rich, middle-class people buy things to make them live rich, while both groups are feeding the bank account of the wealthy and getting poorer minute by minute.”
Our whole life is spent trying to be what we are not, trying to impress people who see us not, while depression is all we got.
We have a need to blow that trumpet.
However, blowing the trumpet comes with a cost: Actually, “Trumpet players often suffer dizziness or black-outs when they play high notes. The pressure …required to produce a note causes the heart valves to collapse …consequently, the blood pressure drops” (Science.com). When you exert so much pressure on yourself seeking confidence and self-worth from people; when the admiration and adulation is gone, you are often left emotionally depleted, and spiritually bankrupt. And at that time anxiety begins to set in.
Attention on God leads to peace
Anxiety is generated when we feel our treasure is insecure. And if the things you value most are in vulnerable situations or locations, our hearts become defenceless and exposed, for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also (Matt. 6:21).
Matt. 6:19, Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal. (Verse 20) But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.
Why would Jesus tell earthly people to lay up treasures in heaven?
Did you know that some people will lay them up in church rather than in heaven? Others will place them in children or spouses, not in heaven. Some will deposit their treasure in their profession, not in heaven.
Why are we not to lay treasure on earth? Whatever comes out of the earth returns to the earth – dust to dust.
What Jesus is saying here is that we misplace our allegiance in things and situations that can never be protected, things that have a shelf life, things that have an expiration date, and there is no security for such investments.
You make an investment in your children, no guarantees of return on that investment.
You invest in a house and real estate, no guarantees that your health will last until you pay it off.
You invest in marriage, just look at the divorce rate.
You invest thousands in school, your employer still robs you and you are still in debt.
What worldly investment guarantees a return? None!
When treasure is fully invested in earthly things and people, our hearts become vulnerable and unprotected. So, we mask that through pretending to be what we are not. Our peace therefore comes in a deposit that transcends this life and this world. According to Pentz, “everyone should fear death until he has something that will live on after his death. The little things we do for Jesus now will be the great things in eternity. He who provides for this life but takes no care for eternity is wise for a moment but a fool for eternity.”
There is a song that goes “turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face, and the things of this world will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.”
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:8-9). Your focus on heavenly dispositions will generate peace and halt hypocrisy.