“Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.” Matthew 6: 1-4, NKJV.
Dear God, please help us to live our lives with our eyes fastened on You. We are interested in doing Your will for Your glory, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
For many years, I heard my grandmother repeat the saying, “do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.” I always thought that it was just another saying of the sages, until I discovered that Jesus said it first! I am not sure if my grandmother was saying it for the same reason that Jesus was. Nonetheless, I believe it is very good advice, especially for Christians.
As human beings, it does not take much for us to become puffed up. We seem predisposed to develop “big heads.” Jesus, as our creator, knowing this, warned us about some of the things that could lead to such an attitude. Do not give your offering for all to see. Do not parade the good you do before human beings. Do not call attention to yourself by creating a scene. This is what the Pharisees do. But they have already received their reward – from human beings. Instead, whatever act of kindness you want to do, do it for God’s eyes only. And God who sees what you do in secret, and who sees, not only the gift, but also the heart of the giver, will reward you, for all to see.
Jesus went on to mention other areas of our Christian life, and practices, where this principle applies: prayer and fasting. We may wonder what is so wrong about letting others know when we are fasting, or hear us, when we pray to God. Perhaps you noticed that I said earlier, God sees not only the gift, but the heart of the giver as well. That is because motives are very important to God. So important, that they could keep us out of the kingdom – “For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5: 20). So important, that we might be worshipping in vain – “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing” (1 Corinthians 13: 1-3).
The next time you do something for the Lord, whether it be to give an offering, pray in public, fast, or whatever you do, ask yourself the question: Whose approval am I seeking – that of God, or human beings? Remember also, that the answer to that question might have eternal consequences. You might be expecting a blessing from God, when you have already been rewarded by human beings.