“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them… 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…”

-Matthew 6:1 & 6:3-4

“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… But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen…”

-Matthew 6:5-6

When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting… But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen…”

-Matthew 6:16-18

For many the broad, immediate net cast by social media has created a mindset focusing on and deeply concerned with posts, each carefully designed to cast an image of perfection. Driven by this mindset, some orchestrate life to win praise from other people, with their sense of belonging and self-worth linked to the number of positive responses earned by each post. The mindset creates a vicious cycle of continuously seeking approval, often from mere acquaintances or people we do not even know.

In chapter 6 of his gospel, Matthew records a portion of the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus teaches about personal holiness and our relationships with God and people in need, telling us not to undertake acts of faith to impress other people. He urges us to genuinely pursue God, to lead lives of faith, and to demonstrate faith through acts of righteousness, but to do so as matters exclusively between us and God. Acts of faith should not be intended to win social acclaim or twisted into theatrical productions for other people, and because doing so is so bad, Jesus urges us to practice our acts of holiness in ways that will not even be noticed by others.

As an example, I have a number of friends who are each engaged in prison ministry. As far as I know, none of them have any idea the others serve inmates. They each, on their own, go to a jail or prison to lead ministry.  Some go to a jail or prison to pray. Others lead Bible studies. Some go into prisons to minister as part of larger groups. They each serve God by ministering to inmates, but they do not advertise their acts of righteousness.

As we seek God, as we grow closer in relationship with Him, as we direct our attention towards Him, we will naturally become less concerned with what other people think about us. We bow to pray seeking God, unconcerned with what other people may think. When we serve, we deflect praise from ourselves so that God receives all praise. When we look inwardly seeking to grow closer to God, focusing on our own spiritual needs, seeking continued transformation, we need no approval from other people. We tie our sense of belonging and self-worth to the only absolute source of peace, comfort and rest. By making God our focus and priority, we live for an audience of one.

In the world today, with digital versions of our lives on full public display, secretly practicing acts of righteousness and living for an audience of one may seem counterintuitive. But Jesus urges us to seek God first so that we might grow closer to Him, not to win praise from others. May you have the courage to break the cycle of the seeking approval from others. May you continue seeking God first.