Living for the Father’s Eyes Alone: The Heart Behind Our Righteousness

Reading: Matthew 6:1-18

The Subtle Slip into Performative Religion

Jesus begins this section of his teaching with a stark warning: “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them.”

It is vital to notice what Jesus is not saying here. He isn’t condemning public righteousness. Earlier in the Sermon on the Mount, he explicitly told his followers to let their light shine before others so that people might see their good deeds and praise their Father in heaven. The issue at hand isn’t the visibility of the action; it is the motive behind it.

The transition from genuine devotion to performative religion is often a “subtle slip.” It usually begins with a pure intention—a genuine desire to help the poor, to connect with God in prayer, or to fast. But often we begin to look around to see who is watching. We wonder if our generosity is being noticed, if our prayers sound eloquent enough, or if our sacrifices are being applauded.

Jesus uses the three core pillars of Jewish religious life: giving alms (vs 2-4), praying (vs 5-15), and fasting (vs 16-18). Each one follows the same structure, saying not to perform for others, but to do works in secret before the Father, so that the Father sees and rewards. 

Re-centering on ‘Abba’: How We See God

How do we break free from this performance trap? The antidote begins with shifting our perspective on who God is.

Throughout Matthew 6, Jesus introduces a radical and disruptive shift in the language used to describe God. He repeatedly refers to God as “your Father” (‘Abba’). In the ancient world, this level of relational intimacy with the Creator of the universe was revolutionary.

Our view of God dictates our behaviour. If we view God as a harsh taskmaster or a distant judge, our religion will naturally become a series of transactions. We will either perform out of fear to earn His favour, or we will perform in front of others to secure the validation we feel we are missing from Him.

But when we see God as a loving, attentive Father, everything changes. Spiritual disciplines cease to be duties performed to gain a status; instead, they become responses of love to a Father who already knows what we need before we even ask.

The Father’s Gaze: How God Sees You

Living for the Father’s eyes alone requires us to understand not only who He is, but how He views us.

Too often, we carry a subconscious belief that God only looks at us with pity or disappointment—that He tolerates us because of Jesus, but doesn’t actually enjoy us. But the Bible tells a completely different story. We are an image-bearers of the Divine, a unique carrying-case of God’s beauty, designed for partnership and deep intimacy with Him.

When Jesus tells us to go into our inner rooms, close the door, and pray to our Father who is in secret, He is inviting us into a space of ultimate security. In that hidden room, the pressure to perform dissolves. You don’t have to dress up your language, hide your flaws, or prove your worth. Your Father sees you in secret—fully knowing your mess, your doubts, and your shortcomings—and He looks upon you with absolute delight.

When the approval of the Father becomes your anchor, the need for human applause loses its power. You are free to love others, give generously, and serve selflessly, not because you need to fill an empty cup of validation, but because your cup is already overflowing with the love of a Father who sees you, knows you, and calls you His own.