Give In Secret and Honor God

For those of us who are active on social media, watch television or read the news, we have noticed the great number of charitable people in the public eye. We watch videos and read of individuals doing charitable deeds, lending a helping hand to those in need.

At first glance, these actions seem loving and selfless, but if we look beyond the act itself we can see that the motive behind the ‘good deed’ is less than compassionate.

Some of the most highly viewed videos on the internet involve an individual recording themselves giving money to a homeless person, donating a car to a single mom, or paying off a friend’s bills in their time of financial struggle. These are just a few examples.

If a person advertises their charitable work to millions of viewers on YouTube or to all of their friends on Facebook can the act still be considered a good deed? Does the motive behind the action matter? Let's see what Jesus has to say!

Matthew 6:1-4 (NKJV):

1 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.

2 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.

3 But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,

4 that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.

Jesus condemns doing charitable deeds before men. He says those who sound a trumpet or draw attention to themselves in doing these deeds are hypocrites and have no reward from our Father in heaven. Our only reward will be recognition and praise from those who watch or read about us.

Should we do charitable deeds? Yes! When we give, we should do so anonymously and with true compassion for our fellow man. If we make this our practice, our Father who sees in secret will Himself reward us openly.

- Eric Bullock, Evangelist