After saying earlier, "Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16), Jesus nows says what appears to be the opposite: "Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them" (v. 1). Why? How can he say such contradictory statements? The answer has to do with the source and the motives.
In Matthew 5:16, he says, "Let your light shine...". Jesus wants us to let our light shine. This is clear. Where you and I miss it so often is in recognizing the source of what we do. Who is the light of the believer? Jesus himself. "The Lord is my light," says Psalm 27:1. In John 9:5, Jesus says, "I am the light of the world." Jesus IS the light that wants to shine through our good works. When they see our good works, they really see our good Lord. We can't fake shining. Shining is a fact, not an act. So, when we shine, it's always because we've let Another shine through us.
In Matthew 6, Jesus contrasts "your 'acts of righteousness'" with the "good works" mentioned above. The "good works" are done so that the light - Jesus - can be seen. The so-called "acts of righteousness" are done so that I can be seen. Therefore, the audience is different. "Good works" are done to be seen by God first and then man; "acts of righteousness" are done to be seen by man first, then God. And God does see them, but he doesn't reward them. The only reward is what little you get from man. But those that let Jesus shine and those that take place in secret get rewarded beyond measure.
The Source and the Secret - there's where the true value of our faith lies, being willing to let Another shine and to let Another see us; to seek him for an audience and applause, instead of man. There's our true reward.
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