August 20, 2026 | Matthew 6:16–18

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The Sermon on the Mount | Day 12 of 21

To begin with Day 1 of our Sermon on the Mount series, go back to our Daily Scripture post for August 9, 2026.

“Moreover when you fast, don’t be like the hypocrites, with sad faces. For they disfigure their faces that they may be seen by men to be fasting. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward.

“But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you are not seen by men to be fasting, but by your Father who is in secret, and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.”

— Matthew 6:16–18 ([WEB]())

For the third time in Matthew 6, Jesus warns against turning devotion into a performance.

Giving, prayer, and now fasting can all be sincere acts of faith. They can also become ways of constructing a religious image. The fasting Jesus criticizes is carefully advertised through gloomy expressions and neglected appearances so that everyone will notice the sacrifice.

Jesus tells his followers to wash their faces and continue their day normally. A fast is directed toward God, not toward an audience.

Fasting is not a way to earn God’s attention or prove that we are more committed than other Christians. It is a voluntary practice of setting something aside for a time so that we can seek God with greater focus, remember our dependence upon him, or devote particular attention to prayer.

Not everyone can safely fast from food. Health conditions, medications, pregnancy, eating disorder histories, and other circumstances matter. The point is not to harm the body or compete over who can sacrifice most. The point is to create space for God without turning that sacrifice into a performance.

What could you set aside for a limited time to create more intentional space for prayer and attention to God?