Don't Do Your Good Deeds Publicly To Be Admired By Others
God See's All Your Deeds Both Good And Evil
MATHEW 6:1-4
“”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
https://bible.com/bible/114/mat.6.3.NKJ
V
It’s easy to give with mixed motives; to do something for someone if it will benefit us in one way or another. But Jesus, when telling us not to tell our left hand what our right hand is doing, was teaching us that our motives for giving to God and others should be pure and selfless, out of selfless love.
It’s easy to do good when we receive payment, or recognition or praise. But if our motives are pure, we will have no reason to tell others of our good deeds.
To be certain that our motives are selfless, we should do our good deeds in secret, with no thought of reward.
Jesus tells us to check our motives in three areas: generosity (6:4), prayer (6:6), and fasting (6:18). Those acts must be God centred, not self-centred.
Our service to God and others must not be about making us look good, but rather, to make God look good, to lift Him up in honour and glorify His holy name.
The rewards God promises are not so much material, but you can be certain that however secret your actions, thoughts, and motives, good or evil, He sees everything, and the truth is, their is always consequences for our actions, both good and evil. “For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.”
Luke 8:17 NKJV
Truly I tell you: Blessed is he who considers the poor; The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive, And he will be blessed on the earth; You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies (PSALM 41:1-3).
What are your motives for service to God, or helping someone in need? Is your help and service a loving sacrifice? Or does your heart have a hidden agenda?
Pray: Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way of everlasting (Psalm 139:23-24).
All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.
