{"id":47845,"date":"2022-06-24T12:08:01","date_gmt":"2022-06-24T09:08:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/?p=47845"},"modified":"2025-05-28T13:53:50","modified_gmt":"2025-05-28T10:53:50","slug":"should-our-light-shine-or-not-understanding-matthew-516-and-matthew-61-in-context","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/en\/2022\/06\/24\/should-our-light-shine-or-not-understanding-matthew-516-and-matthew-61-in-context\/","title":{"rendered":"Should Our Light Shine or Not? Understanding Matthew 5:16 and Matthew 6:1 in Context"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Question:<\/strong><\/p>\n

In Matthew 5:16<\/em>, Jesus tells us to let our light shine before others. Yet in Matthew 6:1<\/em>, He warns us not to do our good deeds before people to be seen by them.
\nAt first glance, this might seem like a contradiction. So, are we supposed to do good works publicly or not?<\/p>\n

\n

The Context Matters<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Let\u2019s read both scriptures carefully, starting with Matthew 5:14\u201316<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

Matthew 5:14\u201316<\/strong>
\n\u201cYou are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.
\nNeither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.
\nIn the same way, let your light shine before others<\/strong>, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven<\/strong>.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Here, Jesus is calling believers to live lives that reflect God\u2019s righteousness and love. The purpose of our \u201clight\u201d is to reveal God\u2019s goodness<\/strong> to the world. It\u2019s not about self-promotion, but about shining with the character of Christ (see Philippians 2:15<\/strong> \u2013 “shine among them like stars in the sky”).<\/p>\n

Then we read Matthew 6:1\u20132<\/strong>, where Jesus says:<\/p>\n

Matthew 6:1\u20132<\/strong>
\n\u201cBe careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them<\/strong>. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
\nSo when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others<\/strong>. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This is a warning against pride and hypocrisy. The issue is not doing good in public<\/strong>, but doing it with the wrong motive<\/strong>\u2014seeking personal glory rather than God’s.<\/p>\n

These verses are not contradictory but complementary. Jesus is addressing two different heart attitudes:<\/p>\n