Nuance is a troublemaker. We’d love for our convictions to be well-defined, stark, and without shadows. But that isn’t authentic or realistic. As we judge others with a lack of nuance, we are also judged in the same way. One area where this stark judgment has been spoken is about prayer.
Jesus said, “Whenever you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward. But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:5–6, CSB) We must consider this verse from two angles. The first is its right application, and the second is how it is being misused to stifle prayer.
Jesus’ point to us is simple; don’t make prayer a public show. Luke’s gospel provides some cultural context to Jesus’ teaching in Matthew. In Luke, Jesus warned His hearers about the Scribes, “They devour widows’ houses and say long prayers just for show. These will receive harsher judgment.” (Luke 20:47, CSB)
So how do we navigate this? Does this mean that all public prayers are forbidden? No, for even Jesus prayed publicly. For instance, before a crowd of over 5000, He prayed a blessing for the food (Matthew 14:19). But the gospels also record that Jesus spent much private time in prayer (i.e., Matthew 14:23).
We need a place of private prayer. It doesn’t need to be a physical room or closet, anywhere will work. Like Jesus, we need to find those times in our day when we can be alone with God. For me, it is the quietness of the early morning. For others, it is while they are out walking. I know some who pray during their drive to and from work – although I encourage them to keep their eyes open. And I do know some that have made a closet into a prayer room.
The Jesus Way is this – Don’t pray in public unless you’ve prayed in private. Also, don’t pray in public if your goal is to be seen and heard by an audience more than being heard by God. For Pastors and teachers, I will add – don’t make public prayer into a sermon – really pray.
On the flip side. Some in the world have used this verse to try and push all prayer into the closet and away from public view. I always cringe when non-believers try to control God’s people with Bible verses. But in response to them, I say forgive us. Forgive us for when we abused the gift of prayer to make a show. Forgive us when we turn a blessing into a sermon. But know this; we will not stop praying to our heavenly Father wherever we are. We will never stop praying for you.
No, don’t pray for show – always pray for real.
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