“Be cautious when giving to others in front of people as a way of seeking attention. Otherwise, you have no reward with your Father, The Great Gardener in Heaven.” (Matthew 6:1)

The drawings that we worked on for this Chapter in The Gospel According to Matthew are much plainer that what we usually share with you.

Pearl insisted on not being fancy or elaborate or beautifully colored and decorated so that we could visually be more in line with the spirit of this chapter: Don’t Be a Show-Off!

Just between you and me, Pearl knows what a Big Show-Off I can be, and I know what a Little Show-Off she can be. We have both felt the consequences brought by these attitudes which do not please Jesus.

This verse emphasizes the importance of sincerity in spiritual practices. Jesus warns against performing acts of righteousness for the sake of public recognition. With these words, He highlighting that true devotion should be directed towards God rather than towards seeking human approval.

As the opposite attitude for action from Jesus, we have often heard the world advising us about “Best Foot Forward” and “Good First Impression.” When these sayings sway us, we may begin to look away from God. But as Pearl and I know, It never pays to be a Spiritual Show-Off!