Since it is Sunday, I thought I would do a religious post. I'm mainly going to pose a question and see if anyone has some good insights on the matter.
For the last few years now, I have struggled to reconcile a couple of verses of scripture, both of which are in the Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 5:14-16, it reads "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Fahter which is in heaven." But in Matthew 6:1-2 , it says "Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward."
Its hard for me to reconcile these scriptures. I started thinking about this a few years ago when I was reading a Conference talk and one of the Brethren (Elder Holland, I think) said something about how when we are parents we should be conspicuous in practicing the gospel in order to teach our children by example. This struck me as odd because I had always focused on the instruction to not do your alms before men (yes, I recognzie the irony of me taking about how I don't like 'doing alms before men' in this public forum). Making sure that someone sees you doing a good act, even if it is your children, seemed odd to me.
I can now see how it is probably good to be conspicuous in your gospel practice, especially around your young children, so that they can see how gospel principles are applied in real life. But what about outside the family context? How can we follow the commandment to be good examples? To to hold up a candle or to set a city on a hill implies, I think, some degree of publicizing, which strikes me as odd. Maybe "alms" can be defined narrowly to only include religious rites like baptism, the sacrament, or prayer and not more general acts like honesty, kindness, and charity. But the footnotes (the Greek translation) define "alms" more broadly: "righteousness, acts of religious devotion." Maybe the distinction is in your personal motivation: if you are are doing an act of kindness so that people will think that you are a kind person--i.e. your own personal glory--then that would be wrong. But if you did it to set a good example and to inspire people to be better--i.e. to glorify God--then maybe that is ok. But in practice, at least for me, that's a hard line to draw.
Anyway, those are just a few thoughts. Its been helpful to write them out, and I think its an intersting issue to think about. That's one of the reasons I started the blog. Comments are welcome.
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4 comments:
My analysis is a bit Kantian, but I think motivations matter. Let your light so shine refers to glorifying God. The other speaks of doing "good" works to be seen of men.
I also think that speaking of good works as a light to shine before men instructs us not to be ashamed of righteous living, not to value man's opinion more than God's. In this context, the two verses are compatible.
Ian,
I've been reading Brothers Karamazov. In it, Dostoevsky writes about this very issue. I like the following quote:
Above all, avoid lies, all lies, especially the lie to yourself. . . . And avoid contempt, both of others and of yourself. . . . And avoid fear. . . . for active love is a harsh and fearful thing compared with love in dreams. Love in dreams thirsts for immediate action, quickly performed, and with everyone watching. Indeed, it will go as far as the giving even of one's life, provided it does not take long and is soon over, as on stage, and everyone is looking on and praising. Whereas active love is labor and perseverance, and for some people, perhaps, a whole science."
I'm certainly not the first one to discover Dostoevsky, but if you haven't read his books, you should. He is wonderful. I suggest the translations by Richard Pevear and Clarissa Volokonsky.
Ian, I've been thinking more and more about your question, particularly as it relates to this year's mutual theme: 'Arise and shine forth, that thy light may be a standard for the nations' (D&C 115:5).
So, I turned to my trusty One Volume Bible Commentary by J.R. Dummelow (I know, bad name for a religious scholar. If you pronounce his name Dumb-elow, then he doesn't sound smart. If you pronounce it Doom-elow, then he doesn't sound religious). Pardon the aside. Usually Dummelow provides sound insight and context. This time, he simply stated conclusively that the two scriptures do not conflict. Then he explains how big a bushel would have been.
Short answer. . . I'm still searching.
I believe that the verse in Matthew 5 is encouraging for us to practice the treachings of Christ outwordly in order to be an example and positively effect those we come in contact with. While Chapter 6 warns of performing good deeds in order to recieve praise. It states to do thine alms before men, but do not sound a trumpet before thee. For seeking recognition is seeking reward for yourself instead of glorifying our Father in Heaven. Just my thoughts.
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