The Private Nature of the Kingdom (Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18)

This is another hard passage in the Gospel of Matthew -- Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18 -- and it's hard because it's about doing two things we all struggle with. First, we are to live righteously, and second, we are to do so with humility. These verses strike at the heart of our own pride and the constant demand to seek the approval of others, simply because we want to be liked. We tend to be far more interested in appearing righteous, than in actually being righteous -- and Jesus nails that kind of attitude.

So ... how do we go about giving, praying, and fasting ... without worrying about what others see or what they think? Once again, the King's words are especially relevant to us today.