Matthew 6:6: “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.”
I did not watch the recent Academy Awards hosted by Chris Rock. I did see the video and have observed the aftermath of the “slap heard around the world” by Will Smith. When I first saw it, I thought that it was staged, a part of the act. Rock braced himself with his hands behind his back as if he knew it was coming. Smith laughed at the joke at first. Security never moved. It looked staged until Smith sat back down and it became clear that this was not acting during a show that rewarded acting. It was authentic.
I had to recognize that this was not fake but real. God hears a lot of inauthentic praying. He cherishes prayers that are offered with pure motives and heartfelt expressions. Jesus recognizes the genuine prayers of people. In our text, Jesus commands us to have a private conversation with the Father who is not in a public setting but in private. Our Lord wanted His followers to engage in close, intimate conversation with the Father with the awareness that the Father was in a position to reward simple authenticity and faithful obedience.
Prayers are not to be performances for others to hear. God loves performers but He does not care for staged, hypocritical, empty prayers. God not only hears when we pray but He also sees. He is never confused about the realness of a prayer. God will not be tricked. Keep your private room private. Pray to the One who sees, hears, and delights in our prayers.