By Brenda Cannon Henley
6:1 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.

6:2 Therefore when thou doest 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.

6:3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:

6:4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

6:5 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.

6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

6:7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

6:8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

I am constantly amazed at how many spiritual “professionals” one meets in life that claim to love God, seek to serve Him, and yet, often appear to be quite ignorant of specific principles the Bible teaches.

One of the clear principles that come to my mind is taught in the eight verses from the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 6. When this group of verses is read in a class, discussed in a practical small group, or addressed privately, there is always much nodding of the heads, smiles and gestures indicating complete agreement with the thoughts taught. But in reality, these men and women do not demonstrate any understanding of what the Word of God is teaching. Or, they have decided it surely doesn’t apply to them.

Having been in a leadership position with a large international ministry for a number of years and having served on the staff of an award winning church ministry, I honestly thought I had seen much of what takes place in Christian environments. I hadn’t!

There are wonderful things happening in churches, both large and small, across our nation. Good, hard working missionaries seek to win and serve people around the globe. Most are very humble and give God the glory for what He has done and is doing through their lives and in their ministries.

As it is in almost every gathering, there are some that do not know the rules or who have refused to play by them. God is very clear. He is not double minded, nor does He have favorites. What He says in Scripture doesn’t change. It will stand.

I once was speaking to my employer and the host of a huge conference in the Mid West shortly before the opening session was to commence. A nicely dressed gentleman walked into the Green Room just off stage where speakers and musicians gathered. His entourage accompanied him and discretely stood to the side.

I watched as he handed the host a neatly folded check and suggested he would be honored to be called on to give the opening prayer. My employer, Dr. John R. Rice, did not blink an eye or lose a beat. He very quietly handed the check back to the man and said kindly, “Our positions or prayers are not for sale. Thank you Brother __________.”

The man obviously did not take Matthew 6 to heart. He desired human respect and the adulation of his peers.

Women are not excluded in this struggle for acceptance, admiration, and advancement in religious environments. My heart breaks for their lack of true Bible knowledge about the matter. I have known several women that feel that they must report to the senior pastor every good work they do. They find creative ways of either telling him or her personally or passing the information to someone who likely will.

Most of the time, they do not do any work personally, but show up in the end to accept public appreciation and thanks. Often, money is involved as they try to purchase their way into the limelight. Giving gifts, sometimes large, is one avenue to get attention. Another oft used ploy in today’s age of social media is to post as many pics of the seeker in action as possible. Photo ops are as staged of dinners, visits, any gathering, mission effort, gift giving, service, and acts of kindness as a celebrity can muster.

It does not change the truth. I, for myself, had much rather be thought of as humble, hard working, and quiet here in this world and be determined that should I truly be worthy of any praise or reward, it will be in Heaven from the dear Lord.

Brenda Cannon Henley can be reached at 409 781 8788, or
[email protected]

[BCH: Aug-22-2023]