Mt 6:1-6, 16-18
[Jesus said to his disciples,] 1“Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. 2When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, 4so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
“When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
“When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”
Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them. Jesus’ advice reminds me of a professor who would ask us whenever we did or planned something: “What is behind it?” He advised us to review our intentions and motivations.
There are three things we can ask to check ourselves. First, what is our intention? Is it to boost our ego and promote our name? Second, for whom are we doing the act? Is it for the poor or for our poor self? And last, where is our act coming from? Does it come from our desire to serve or from our need to be served?
Good deeds are for people to receive, not for us to boast. They are for our God to see and not for us to see ourselves as gods.