In Week 4 of "Bread," the One Thing is: Be real, not religious. We are reading from Matthew 6:5-16 about the Sermon on the Mount.
When Jesus tells his disciples the correct way to pray, he begins first by telling them how not to pray. The very first thing he warns them about is being a hypocrite. The word "hypocrite" is Greek and began as a term to describe an actor wearing a mask. Jesus actually uses the word twice, once directly before this passage, when he talks about not being a hypocrite by giving publicly to the poor. Here he says it once more, because he knows our sinful hearts all too well. He knows how easy it is to wear different masks when you pray. Perhaps your mask is that of a "good" Christian. It's a mask of saying the "right things" by regurgitating what the pastor said, but only because it will make you seem holy and successful. Or maybe your mask is one of hiding. It's easy to opt out of a prayer because you feel that your words are the opposite of good enough and you aren't willing to risk opening up in front of others. Or maybe your mask is a reflective mask. A mask that you wear by praying for everyone else in your life, except yourself because that is just too personal. What kind of mask are you wearing when you pray? Are you willing to actually be real with yourself, God, and others when you pray? What can you do to take a step towards this today?
