OTKC 13: Give In Secret

When you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.  Matthew 6:2-4 (ESVUK)

The commands of King Jesus usually relate to the inner life of the follower. Actions are very important – indeed, they are so important that God wants them to be sourced in the right place. Which is why the commands about anger, lust, divorce and enemy love are commands that are based on the inner life of the believer to be in line with the will and character of God. In addressing actions further regarding acts of righteousness, Jesus commands that the actions be taken from the heart to the right source.

The Wrong Motives

Jesus prefaces these issues with a statement warning about motives. “Beware of practising your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:1) The three activities – giving, praying and fasting – can be done to draw attention and acclaim from others. It can be a case that people are more interested in looking the part than being the part. It can be the case that people want to have a reputation and be more concerned about that rather than the substance of character, the integrity of a human.

Specifically with giving, Jesus notes the practice of hypocrites. They have to get the attention for their acts. They trumpet their good acts wherever they do it so that it’s clear to the observer that here is a good act, and therefore the person must be admired and revered for their goodness.  There are some intriguing reasons that lead to hypocrites behaving in such a manner. Jesus is not bothered about any of them; all that matters to Him is that this process will end in the empty reward of the attention of people. What is a round of applause in the eternal scheme of things? What are the gasps and momentary awe of crowds in the eternal scheme of things? What is all that worth, especially when the primary audience of acts of righteousness will not reward such acts?

As Though You’re Doing It To God

Giving to the needy is a worthwhile cause. Recognising those who need something and being in a position to meet that need and support them is to be applauded and supported. Jesus refers to it as something that is expected from anyone who operates in His Kingdom. It’s not a matter of “if”, He makes it a matter of “when”. This is another expression of the character of God. Where there are those in need, He will supply that need.

The question of motive asks, Who are you doing it for? And that is an issue of the heart. In your heart, who do you want to please? Follow Jesus further, for He then makes it abundantly clear that to make it a matter of pleasing the heavenly Father, those acts of giving to those in need can be done so discreetly that one hand doesn’t even have to know what the other is doing. Great impact can be made, and no fuss has to be made about who did it and how they did it.

The direct relationship with God motivates the action of giving, as one that we’re only concerned with God seeing. Our hearts are only ever looking to be pleasing to Him, even as the hunger and thirst for righteousness is sourced on the one who makes us meek – it is all about recognising how the Father creates and shapes our character, and if we’re going to reflect Him, our heart must only look to Him. That doesn’t require public fanfare – it thrives on the secret life Jesus is proposing, not out of a rabid desire to maintain privacy, but out of the reality that our relationship with Him is a matter of the heart – it’s an issue of what’s going on inside.

Practical Steps for Giving in Secret

• Acknowledge the need as a God opportunity: Someone’s need is an opportunity to express the rule of God, who is able to meet needs.
• Acknowledge your role as a vessel of God: If you’re in a position to meet the need, there’s no room to pat yourself on the back – God chooses to use you, so the focus goes back to God. After all, as His child, everything you have belongs to Him anyway.
• Check your motives: The commands of Jesus are more about where your heart is positioned than what your hands do. Continue to challenge yourself, if it really matters if you’re credited with the act or if you’re more bothered about God being glorified because a need is met.
• Rely on the Spirit’s prompts and guidance: Be aware of the crucial role of the Holy Spirit in identifying the opportunity to give and doing so in as discreet a manner as possible.
• Be Grateful and Move on: The aspect of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing gives the set-up that there’s no need to dwell on the act of giving. It’s enough to thank God, especially as He is the key motivator and primary audience behind the act. Once that’s done, you can move on swiftly and not make it a drama.

The Father is keen to reward you for being obedient to Him. This is an aspect that’s not always highlighted, and some might get the wrong idea about the reward. Yet in the same way that those who operate by faith understand that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him, they will understand what the greatest reward is for those who commit these acts to be pleasing to Him.

For His Name’s Sake

C. L. J. Dryden

Shalom

Questions for Reflection

• What challenges do you face when giving in secret?
• What role does the Holy Spirit play in helping you give to the needy secretly?
• What can you do this week to encourage others to give to the needy secretly?