And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. — Matthew 6:5 KJV
And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. — Matthew 6:5 NIV
Reflection on Verse for Today
This verse is part of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, where He sets forth principles for living a life aligned with God’s will. It is part of His teachings on prayer. It’s a powerful reminder about the purpose of prayer, the right attitude to bring to prayer, and the audience for whom we’re praying.
The verse starts by admonishing us not to be like the hypocrites. Who were these hypocrites? In Jesus’ time, these were individuals who made a great public show of their piety, who used prayer as a means to promote themselves, to draw attention, to gain respect and admiration. In essence, their prayers were not directed towards God but towards people. They used prayer not as a means to communicate with God but to enhance their image before others.
This kind of prayer is rebuked by Jesus. Prayer is not a performance for others to admire. It is not a stage on which we exhibit our spirituality or religiousness. Jesus emphasizes that prayer should be an intimate conversation with our heavenly Father, not a performance for others.
But how often do we, consciously or unconsciously, fall into the same trap? We might not pray on street corners or make grand shows of our spirituality, but we might still look for recognition or approval from others for our spiritual activities. We might be tempted to use our piety as a badge of honor, as a way of establishing our superiority over others. We may seek validation from others instead of focusing solely on our relationship with God.
The latter part of the verse brings home a sobering truth: “Truly, I tell you, they have received their reward.” Jesus implies that these hypocrites have already received their earthly reward: the admiration and attention of people. However, this is fleeting and temporary. God’s reward, on the other hand, is eternal. By seeking people’s approval instead of God’s, they have traded something priceless for something that doesn’t last.
So we need to be genuine in our prayer life, to pray with a sincere heart focused on God, not on the approval or admiration of others. Our prayers should be a genuine dialogue with God, driven by our desire to know Him better, to align ourselves with His will, and to grow in our faith. Let’s strive to keep our prayers and our relationship with God untainted by the desire for human recognition or approval.
My Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, I come before You in humility, recognizing your infinite wisdom and eternal love. Your Word in Matthew 6:5 challenges me, Lord. It opens my eyes to the importance of the purity of my intentions, especially when I approach You in prayer.
Father, please forgive me for the times when my prayers have been less about communicating with You and more about appearing righteous before others. Teach me to approach You with a sincere heart, unencumbered by the need for approval or admiration from those around me. I yearn for my prayers to be a true dialogue with You, not a performance for others.
Lord, I want to seek Your face alone. Please help me to resist the temptations of seeking fleeting earthly recognition. Remind me that Your reward is eternal and incomparably precious. I ask for the strength to resist the allure of human validation. May my actions, my words, and especially my prayers, glorify You alone.
Help me, dear God, to cultivate an authentic relationship with You. Guide me in nurturing my spiritual life, so that I may grow in Your love and wisdom. Let my prayer life reflect my deep desire to know You better and to align myself more with Your will.
Thank You, God, for your grace and patience as I learn and grow. Thank you for loving me as I am, and for guiding me towards who You want me to be. I pray that my heart becomes a mirror of Your grace and love, that my prayers bring me closer to You.
In the precious name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
