Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts and Brownies are clubs for boys and girls. They earn badges which takes work to achieve. There is satisfaction and a public recognition of their award. For a teen-age boy to earn the highest badge of Eagle Scout takes dedication and purpose, time and effort to attain that award. The work is done where not many see all that it takes to fulfill the requirements ““ it is done “˜in secret”™, out of the view of most people. The reward is publicly acknowledged for that hard-earned badge.

Jesus taught His followers about being rewarded for “˜acts of righteousness”™ during His Sermon on the Mount. [This devotional will discuss this in more detail next week.]

When people are publicly acclaimed for giving, prayer and/or fasting”¦they have received all the reward they are going to get. [One example of such giving is found in Matthew 6:2]

When God the Father rewards Christ”™s followers for giving to the needy, praying, and fasting”¦it will be because He has seen the secret work, the behind-the-scenes work of His followers. We are to do these things “˜in secret”™ for God”™s glory because this does not bring attention to ourselves.

To be rewarded is to know work has been done that has achieved some goal. Jesus taught about three “˜acts of righteousness”™.

1 – Secret Giving 2 – Secret Prayer 3 – Secret Fasting

The dictionary defines “˜secret”™ as 1. Concealed from general knowledge or

view; kept hidden.

2. Dependably close-mouthed; discreet

3. Not visibly expressed; private

Jesus has shown His followers how they are to give to the needy, to pray and to fast. It is to be done “˜in secret”™. It is to be concealed from general knowledge; it is to be kept hidden from most people. Discretion and a sense of privacy are commendable to God the Father.

When you give to those who are in need, is it done with fanfare or “˜in secret”™?

When you pray ““ is it to be acclaimed by others or do you pray “˜in secret”™?

(There are times to pray in public, but not to show our “˜spirituality.)

When you fast (not IF you fast) ““ do you let others know what you are doing or is it “˜in secret”™? [Fasting can be done with food, or anything else we “˜give up”™ for a time and replace with prayer.]

Jesus said that if we do these things “˜in secret”™ our Father in heaven will reward us”¦