Our Bible reading for today is Matthew 6:1-4
[1] “Be careful not to perform your righteous acts before men to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
[2] So when you give to the needy, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward. [3] But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, [4] so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
From these verses, Jesus teaches us two great lessons on giving.
The Secret of Generosity
Lesson #1: Give without seeking recognition.
As we follow the instructions of Jesus on selfless charity, we learn an essential lesson: the importance of pure motivation. Our hearts tend to crave recognition for our good deeds. But Christ calls us to a higher purpose when serving others – to give freely out of authentic care and compassion. Rather than trumpeting our generosity from street corners and on social media platforms fishing for likes, we must conduct acts of quiet kindness without expectation of reward or credit. In secrecy, we build treasures in heaven. This humility pleases God, the only audience that ultimately matters.
Lesson #2: The Father Sees what we do in secret.
As we give, pray, or do good deeds, it can feel at times as though our personal acts go unnoticed. Yet we must remember that our Heavenly Father sees and knows everything. He even knows our hearts and what we think. Though human eyes may overlook these private moments where we honor God, we can find assurance that He bears witness to the offerings of our heart. This thought anchors us in an intimate bond with the One who knows our true nature better than any person ever could.
Lonnie Davis