Matthew 6:16-21
Invisible Jobs

"When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

New International Version

There are dozens of "invisible" jobs in any given church congregation, tasks that almost no one notices when the tasks are done well. That "invisibility" factor sometimes makes the jobs more difficult, because often little actions taken by member of the congregation can make one of those invisible jobs very easy -- or very difficult. With a gentle reminder, given in love, someone doing these invisible jobs can often influence others' behaviors and make quick work of the task at hand.

What Jesus is mentioning in this practical lesson is the opposite. In the first century, pious acts were often performed in grand theatrical fashion -- and that was considered appropriate for those who were faithful to following the rules. Giving money to poor people was preceeded with loud announcements, and the poor were equally demonstrative in their loud thanks for the charity. The collection boxes in the temple were designed so that money would make a maximum amount of noise as it slid down the brass recepticle into the box. In this passage, Jesus warns against the expected practice of dressing down at times of fasting to look more pitiful, and instead instructs his followers to look their best.

We don't do the same today! For starters, our collection plates often have cushioned bottoms so the money slides in quietly!

Then again, maybe we do. Too often, we try to make our invisible job more visible because we are frustrated by the lack of cooperation we receive. We crave just a little recognition that we are working hard to make the church work better for others, and we want these others to know that their lack of attention causes us to work harder. Surely they would want to be more loving and considerate towards us than their blissful ignorance of our hard work demonstrates!

The question becomes that of motivation. The pious in Jesus' day thought they would receive attention from others and reward from God at the same time by their extravagantly loud and flowery prayers, but Jesus taught otherwise. It is a choice we all have to make -- are we doing what we are doing for others, or are we doing it for God? Are we doing the work so that the results of our work will be seen and appreciated by others, or are we doing the work because God has called us to do that work? Is our work a job to be done, or is it a prayer to be prayed?