Show Don't Tell: Matthew 6:16-18

Imagine a bustling marketplace in Jerusalem, the air thick with the scent of fresh bread and fragrant spices. Among the vibrant stalls, we see a man named Eli, dressed in tattered robes, his face smeared with ash. His sunken cheeks and hollow eyes tell a story of self-denial, a visible badge of honor he wears for all to see: “Look how spiritual I am,” he seems to say with every deliberate step. As he passes, murmurs ripple through the crowd: “What piety! What devotion!” Eli basks in their admiration, feeling the warm glow of their respect wash over him.

But nearby stands Miriam, a quiet woman with a heart full of faith and a spirit seeking God. She too has chosen to fast, but rather than disfiguring her face, she has anointed her hair with the finest olive oil, letting it glisten in the sun's rays. Her laughter dances through the air, her eyes bright, as she greets her neighbors with genuine warmth. The hunger gnaws at her, but it is a sacred hunger—a private communion shared only with her Father, who sees beyond the surface of appearances.

Eli indulges in the fleeting applause of men, yet in the silence of his own heart, he finds only emptiness. Meanwhile, Miriam delights in the unseen, knowing her true reward is not found in the eyes of others but in the sweet solace of her God's embrace. In that moment, as she walks away with joy, the truth rings clear: “Your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” The contrast is stark, a living parable unfolding right before us: one seeks the applause of the crowd, while the other finds strength in solitude, all for an audience of One.