Matthew 6:1-18.  Jesus did not oppose practicing acts of religious piety, but he warned his disciples not to practice them to gain a present “reward” (1,2,4,5,6,16,18).  There will be rewards in the future, but disciples should focus their attention on representing heaven’s kingdom on earth by doing God’s will (10).  This will bring glory to the Father (5:16).

1. Giving to the needy expresses the love that our Father has for them.  By doing it in secret, disciples of Christ reflect the praise back on God himself (who prompted it) and not themselves.  He gets the glory.  Rewards follow in the Father’s timing (1-4).
2. Praying for daily needs expresses submission and dependence upon our Father.  By doing it in secret, disciples of Christ ensure that their audience is God alone, and that their words are not wasted.  By not heaping empty phrases they show sincerity.  By keeping their prayers focused on God’s will they avoid selfishness. By reflecting God’s grace through forgiving others they demonstrate that God is just in forgiving them (5-14).
3. Fasting for special needs expresses a strong desire that God’s will prevails in times of crisis or critical decisions.  By doing so in secret disciples ensure that fasting remains about God and his will, not their own.

There are countless things that believers do that potentially draw attention to ourselves.  We are commanded to be salt and light (5:13-16) and there is no way we can obey that command and keep our devotion to Christ a secret.  But these three acts of religious piety are singled out.  These have the greatest chance of backfiring and becoming about us, instead of about him.

LORD, when others depend on us to meet their needs, help us to reflect the glory back to you.  When we seek your face for our needs, help us to do so with integrity.