1. "Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' 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 announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.
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. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
In one church the pastor knowing that many members of the congregation were out of work and broke, put a $1000 in $1 and #5 bills into a wicker basket, explaining that the money was from the church's benevolent fund. "I'm going to do something I have never done before in my ministry" With that, he passed the basket of money to the congregation, urging those in need to take from it, without shame or embarrassment.
Many did, but when the basket was returned it contained $67 more than it had when it started out. What does this say about the spirit of those in the service?
This week we will look at some teaching on giving based on the Sermon on the Mount. Giving according to Jesus is not so important as the reason behind the giving.
Why do you give to the needy? Some give because it is expected of them at church. Some give because they know that in giving, they will receive in return. Some give thinking God will bless them. Others give because they are concerned for others and don't consider getting anything in return. Some give because it makes them feel good about themselves.
Gifts in God's eyes are important by the attitude in which they are given. This is true with the money you place in the offering plate, or with gifts given to family or friend or acquaintances, or as the passage in Matthew is referring even to the poor and the needy.
One problem is that people like to be seen as kind and selfless when really there is a battle within of selfishness. Salesmen give all kinds of gifts in hopes of eventually or continually getting customers to purchase their product or services. I remember one salesman giving out wristwatches, the recipient told him right from the beginning that he signed a contract with another company. The salesman took the watch back.
Many give to religious or benevolent causes because of the praise of others. They like to be well thought of. That attitude Jesus condemns.
Do you ever watch TV telethons raising money for various charity causes? Often it is interesting to see how large companies compete for prime time to show others how benevolent they really are as a means of advertising. How many would give in secret? How many would give if nobody knew how kind and generous they were? Some will argue that the end justifies the means. So many charity organizations are geared not for serving the Lord by helping the poor and needy, but seeking to give to get - the lottery, charitable gambling, blankets, cars, prizes, or advertising so people will buy your products.
Of course, most giving should be out of compassion. We see the need of those suffering In Ukraine under attack from Russia or the victims in Gaza from Israel’s attack by Hamas. Giving may be out of love for the Lord as part of worship. It may be love for a family member or friend that is special to you.
Think about the gifts and offerings you have given in the last couple of weeks? What prompted your gift? What was going through your mind?
Jesus wants His followers not only to be charitable but evaluate their spirit of giving.
