Are you trying to impress others with your piety, your knowledge, your spirituality? If so, it just betrays the lack of that which you take pride in. The reward will be exactly what you seek: favor from men.
God is not impressed with how we appear to others. Others are not the judge of us, they are equal to us in the sense that they need grace just as much as you, and once you receive that grace, they are still equal to you walking with the Lord. Each of us has different talents and gifts that we can use for the kingdom. Be careful that you don't start to think that you are the most important cog in the church. Be careful that you don't start to play your role for the attention of others rather than the attention of God.
Is Jesus saying that we don't need to pray in public at all? Is He saying that we don't let anyone know that we are believers? Is He saying that we keep all of this a secret? Not at all. He's saying that if making it public and getting the attention of others to stroke your own ego is your goal, then you will have your reward here on earth. If your goal is to have a reward in heaven, then you focus won't be your own ego.
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