Practicing Righteousness

Matthew 6:1 (ESV)
"Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. “
This verse sets the tone for all that follows in chapter six. Some read this that you shouldn’t practice righteousness at all. This obviously is not the point. But first we must distinguish between being righteous and being righteous.
Historically there has been a distinction made between two kinds of righteousness, at least in Lutheran circles. The first type is the righteousness that comes from God alone that is given to us on behalf of Christ who died for us on the cross. This righteousness cannot be earned, should not be tried to be earned, or practiced. It is a gift from God who proclaims you righteous.
The second type is often called civic righteousness. This type is often confused with the first type and should not be. Civic righteousness is the righteousness that we have in front of our neighbors. It is the righteousness that they declare, that they proclaim, based on what we do in this world. When we confuse the two, we make our neighbors our gods. And when the busybody next door is your god, you live in a miserable world. But this is the kind of stuff that is summed up by civic participation, helping others out in the hard times, being upright citizens, or doing those things that people find to be in line with the mores of the time, and good for the community. And this type of righteousness is one that can be attained by anyone regardless of race, sex, or color.
Yet this is the type of righteousness Christ is talking about. And at the same time he tells us not to practice it in such a way that draws attention to ourselves. This is what people do when they have made God’s of their neighbors. It is the unsightly going out of your way to show how good you are. Most of us are familiar with it in one form or another. Most of us are guilty of it at one time or another. We see it as hypocrisy, and then we are forced to admit we are hypocrites.
It isn’t that your righteousness can’t be practiced in front of them though. It makes no difference if they see it or not. You can’t avoid them seeing you practice your righteousness anymore than you can avoid them seeing your unrighteousness. People will see you give to charities, praying, and taking time out for your kids, going to church, and all the other things people think is great and wonderful. I am often amazed at what people comment on in complimentary ways. Things I have often thought not noticeable.
The object is that you practice righteousness with indifference to the judgment of your neighbors. You don’t do it to be seen and judged by them. You do it because it is right, and that is it. When you do it to be seen by them you invite them to be your judge. We have a judge, and he has declared us righteous. No one else’s judgment, even if he is a judge of the supreme court, should matter to us that we try to win their favor with our good works, that we would invite anyone to judge us. As Paul says, “as for me, it is a small thing that I should be judged by you.” But we have a Judge who does reward us because the works we do have been forgiven and made holy by the blood of His Son.