Matthew 6:16-18 (NIV): “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
Jesus gives no instructions for fasting. His point in this passage is simple: when one of His followers fasts as a sign of devotion to God, they are not to do it in the way that the Jewish leaders did. These Pharisees would make a point of going around with their faces drawn and their hair mussed up, groaning softly so that everyone around them would know that they were fasting and hungry, and be impressed with their “deep spirituality.”
But Jesus’ followers are to be completely different. Instead of fasting to win the admiration of people, their goal must be solely to draw closer to God. And as such, the ONLY one that needs to know that they are fasting is God Himself. Everyone else should never have a clue that it is even going on.
It is very easy to veer off just a bit from pure motives in any spiritual discipline. We crave the approval and admiration of others. We want them to appreciate how spiritual we are, and how we are suffering for our faith. But if we allow that attitude into our heart, we might just as well not fast at all, because that kind of fasting won’t get us a single millimeter closer to God. You can see this very clearly in the Pharisees, who fasted twice a week (cf. Luke 18:12), yet crucified their Lord when He came to visit them!
Father, forgive us for the times when we have done our “works of righteousness” with more of a focus on the approval of men than on Your presence. Help us to hunger and thirst for Your approval only. Amen.