Q1. Performing for 'the Audience of One'

[DebLam3teach]

Our motivation for giving, praying, fasting and other "acts of righteousness" should not be to get others' attention, but to get God's attention. It is to be done before Him, our Audience, not others.  Done quietly.  Many times pride motivates us to seek recognition from others, even for good things like giving to a building fund at church. Getting givers' names on a plaque, getting a special prayer blessing when a gift is given and getting a free book or Christian trinklet are all examples of how churches and ministries can motivate more giving. Instead, we need to get our needs for love and recognition filled by the Lord in our quiet times with Him.  In turn we can give His love to others.

[Eager Bver]

Q1. (Matthew 6:1-18) How do the commands in this section relate to "performing for the audience of One"? What is the antidote for the chief sin that is addressed here? In what ways do churches and non-profit organizations use this sin to motivate people to give? 

 

Performing for the audience of One is to do things quietly and secretly as unto the Lord.

 

The antidote for the chief sin which is hypocrisy is to be real and do things in love.

 

Churches and non-profit organizations motivate people to give by telling them to stand with a certain amount; and flashing their name on a screen.

[JoanG]

We are to only allow God know what we are doing. We are not to be boastful or to look for thanks or gratification from others. We need to bury our egos and only use our hearts to show God what we are made of. A lot of churches use public display to encourage others to give. They put up plaques in honor of the contributers. They have learned that if they stroke a person's ego, they can get more money from them. They have learned to use the materialistic life to produce more money. However, in this process, they also degrade the poor and those that can not give money. They overlook all the time that a person might give to the church instead of giving money that they can not affort. I find that in today's churches, many of them look down on the poor in the congregation. They close their eyes to the need of the people in their own place of worship.

[Old Jerry]

The commands in this section relate to “performing for the audience of One” because we are to be doing everything in secret. Therefore no person will know what we have done and only God will know. The antidote for the chief sin pride that is addressed here is to do things for God and not for the people around us. The way that churches and non-profit organizations use this sin to motivate people to give is by announcing it to the world what a good deed that they have done.

[Karen11]

On 12/19/2007 at 10:33 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q1. (Matthew 6:1-18) How do the commands in this section relate to "performing for the audience of One"? What is the antidote for the chief sin that is addressed here? In what ways do churches and non-profit organizations use this sin to motivate people to give?

The audience of is for God, he is the ONE who see's all, even in our hearts.

Not to be full of yourself with pride, to boast, to live humble.

They offer awards for who gives or gives the most, "Look how beautiful your name will look..Look how it sparkles."

 

 

[Irmela]

1.1 How do the commands in this section relate to "performing for the audience of One"?

When you give, let not the left hand know what the right hand is doing. Pray to your Father Who is in secret (go into your private room).  Let your fasting be noticed by your Father. ... Each of these ... giving, praying, fasting .... not to be done for all and sundry to know about it but .... performed for the audience of One.

1.2 What is the antidote for the chief sin that is addressed here?

The antidote is secret time with our Father. He is the One Who can fulfill the longing for love and Who can meet the need for insecurity.

Love God with all your heart and love your neighbour as yourself.

1.3 In what ways do churches and non-profit organizations use this sin to motivate people to give?

They publicly display the giver's name be it on a plaque, in the newspaper, magazine or anywhere else. This motivates others who had been hesitant to give to either give a similar amount or even more.  In a church service they call people to the front of the congregation to be seen by all ... and blast out how much was pledged to be given .... others are then enticed to give a similar amount or more ... ( Giving has become a compulsion and is no longer done out of pure motives) Others that cannot give that amount feel guilty and are often driven away.