It’s Eastertide, which means no fasting ’cause Jesus has risen. (I would think after Lent you’d have had enough for now.) But when we once again feel the need to fast, Jesus teaches us this:
And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. —Jesus, Matthew 6.16-18 NLT
The ancient practice of fasting—especially after a family member had died—was to rip your clothes, wear the least comfortable clothes you had (like a tunic made of burlap or sack-cloth), and dump ashes over your head so that you’d look as pathetic as possible. If you were in mourning, it was thought you ought to look the part.
We don’t do this anymore because of this teaching. Just like praying to get public attention, Jesus doesn’t want us to fast to get public attention. The intent behind these things should be that we’re trying to get closer to God. The reason people show off what they’re doing is because they want everyone to know they’re trying to get closer to God. And the reason Jesus calls them hypocrites is because they’re more interested in people knowing this than God knowing this.
Yep, prayer and fasting are important parts of our religion. But true religion is that we’re doing this stuff to get closer to God. If it doesn’t bring you any closer to God, don’t do it. Faking a closeness to God is false religion. It’s hypocrisy, it’s lies, it’s evil, and it’s taking you the other direction from God. Worse, it’s encouraging other people to do the same, and think it’s okay. It’s not.
So when you fast, don’t draw attention to it. Don’t look like you’re fasting; try not to look hungry, or deprived, or miserable. Don’t go anyplace where you know your fasting is going to become noticeable: Don’t go to an all-you-can-eat restaurant with your friends, then just sit there and drink water and watch them eat and look pathetic. Or, if you’re just giving up one thing (like, say, meat) don’t make a fuss about how you’re trying to follow your fast: “Well, I can’t eat that, ’cause it has meat in it, and I can’t eat that ’cause there’s meat in it, and obviously that’s out… is there anything on this menu without meat?” If you’re off meat, don’t go to steakhouses. Avoid drawing attention to yourself as much as possible.
There’s nothing wrong with telling people that the reason you can’t eat with them, or eat what they’re eating, is because you’re on a fast. You’re not telling them this to show off; you’re telling them this by way of explanation. Although often you don’t even have to explain. If you’re off meat, say only, “Sorry; not doing meat today,” and most of the time people won’t pressure you any further. People are on diets for all sorts of reasons. Yours just happens to be for religious reasons.
Now I have seen Christians take the other extreme and try to keep their fasting secret—and the only problem with this is that most people do not know how to keep secrets without lying. Contrary to how the King James Version translates Jesus’s teaching, you are fasting in private, not in secret. The original word kryptos means covered over—like a crypt—because you don’t want it seen. But among family and private friends—among people where you really can’t show off, ’cause they know you too well—there’s little point in being secretive. Especially if they can encourage you.
But there’s encouragement, and then there’s encouragement. There’s the encouragement of your friends, who want you to grow closer to God… and there’s the encouragement of false religion, which wants you to become a poster child for fasting. “Look at you: You’re fasting! Good for you! Hey, others ought to fast like you do; why don’t you encourage them in it, and share your example? Maybe we could all fast together!” And so on.
You can kinda see why Jesus wants us to keep it private. When we fast, it’s between us and God; and any rewards we get for it—spiritual growth, warm fuzzy feelings, stronger faith, the spiritual fruit of patience—should come only from God. When it comes from anywhere else, it’s a waste of fasting.