Anonymous Rewards

If someone wants to reward you for your work, should you let them?

“Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven. "So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. "And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. “And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. - Matt. 6:1-6,16-18

When you do good, people notice and sometimes they want to reward you, even if you don't want to be rewarded.

How many times do we hear of "Good Samaritans" who try to remain anonymous?

In today's Gospel, Jesus makes it sound like God is keeping score.  Every time we do something good, we get a check mark, but if we get credit for it, the check mark goes away.

Not fair if we didn't seek the credit, right?

You could argue if it is our job, we are already getting paid for it.  Even if it is our ministry and we don't get paid, we are known for it, so there again, no credit.

In fact, it could be hard to keep a secret about what we do.

Even praying in public, though it is setting a good example, is frowned upon.

So, if this is all about getting rewards, we are probably focusing on the wrong thing.  

It is a game we cannot win, because the more we do, the more likely we are to be recognized for doing good, which is what Jesus expects of us.

And I think that is the key.  If we love one another, we do right by them, we help them, we care about them, and we really love them.

God already loves us, so if we show God we love one another, we show God to others, and that, in itself, is a huge reward for everyone involved.

So, don't worry about what treasures you have stored up in Heaven.  You will find out soon enough.  

Just live in love.

More to come...