Leave the Acting to the Actors

Matthew 6:1-18

Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray then like this: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, [fn] on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Church can be a great place for the worship of God, the hearing of great sermons, education in the truth of the Bible, and fellowship amongst other believers. I enjoy going to church myself--but even in conservative circles, I find that playing church evades no one. How easy it is to go through the motions; how easy it is to look like you couldn't be more right with God. Let me say this, as this is titled: leave acting to the actors. Integrity is what we need in believers today, and quite often we'd rather act than show who we really are. What if only the people who meant it sang in church this Sunday? Would the scenario be exciting or awkward? Would you be one of those people? What if everyone who wasn't going to really listen to the sermon was asked to leave, and they were honest with themselves and just got up and left? How many of us would there be? What if we came to prayer requests, and all we could pray about was God, worshiping Him with our words in prayer? Could you do it? Could you do it and not feel like you're faking it? What if church continuously was cancelled for a year? Would you feel the effects? I am guessing that if we are anything like what Jesus warns against in the verses above, church or no church really won't have the effects like we think it will on our lives. When we come to church to act, we leave to go back to our realistic lives. How do we break this cycle? Might I suggest to you that you pour your heart into what you do? That when you're not at church, you make it a point to spend time with God, pray to God, worship Him, obey Him, and don't keep Him to yourself? I believe wholeheartedly that when we live for what God thinks and not what others think, our acting will most likely cease. Don't go to church for what people think. Don't pray because people are listening. Don't pay attention because people are watching. You do your walk with God no justice when you are "churchy" for the sake of others. If you believe God is who He says He is, then worship Him as such, fear Him as such, love Him as such, and go to meet Him above anyone else when you go to church. Acting is fun on the stage or on the set, but when we do it in real lives, it destroys us. Pursue God every day with integrity.