Is it genuine?

Matthew 6:1
"Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.”

That verse is dead on when it comes to warning us not to be all braggy and showy in front of people.
That is exactly why you shouldn’t just view someone based on their actions and the way they are in public.
What you see is not necessarily what you get.

In the past couple of months I’ve been traveling around and staying for a little with friends here and there.
Seeing them at home in their natural habitat is different from seeing them out in the public, say at church being the prime example.
Seeing how they interact with people, how they react to this bad situation, how they are at ease at home and rather uptight out in the public.
Seeing them relax vs be close to melting point.
It’s all very different.

But what always used to make me think, and it still does, was what that bible passage says. Actually the following few verses in chapter 6 of Matthew. All the way up to verse 18. Everything we do in secret will be rewarded in heaven.

Which was why when I first became a Christian, and I thought to myself, I should start with the book of Genesis, then when I reached Leviticus, it got too hard, so then I decided I should read Matthew. Then I came across chapter 6. And it made me all the more shy about praying in public. Why should I pray out loud in public for all to hear? Why should I practice being a Christian in front of people if people will think I’m braggy?

I think it took me a while to understand the meaning of this passage.
And here’s what I learnt [and will always continue to learn about this]:

The passage tells us not to be showy offy. Like the Pharisees.
A “Sunday Christian”. Someone who is only a Christian on Sunday. And then gradually throughout the week, slips back into his/her old ways and habits. But when in front of people, gives off a persona of someone who is a Christian, all holy and righteous and look at me, and my big super holy nose.

Yes, we should practice what is being preached. And we should practice what we preach. And practice what we believe.

The difference is, behind closed doors, we need to still pray in secret, do righteous things in secret, fast in secret. And not to make a spectacle about it.
And so through time, this becomes a good discipline, so much so it becomes part of your daily life, pretty much ingrained... that it then goes out with you into the open. And it becomes part of your character, a righteous character trait.

And so when people do view you at home, or observe you when you’re not looking [or you're blatantly not on stage for all to see], you are genuine.
Your goodness is genuine. And that you’re not a hypocrite. But you’re the real deal.

But what happens behind closed doors is between you and God.

Is your faith for show? Or is it genuine?
In front of people, you’re in the light.
But when you’re alone, are you in the light with God? Or are you hidden in the dark? Not being the light??
Are you really genuine? Is what you believe and say you believe genuine?

I guess only God knows. And you too.