Today’s Devotional Theme
Please God or Please Yourself?
Daily Scripture
Matthew 6:2-4 (ESV)
“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.”
Encouragement
God expects us to help others, both in and outside our immediate church family. But our motives matter for extending a helping hand, whether financially or otherwise (e.g. shoveling our less-able neighbor’s driveway or giving a ride to the grocery store). Notice I say “we” and not “you” because I need to answer the question of motives, too. God’s people have always had the needy among them from earliest times. Both The Old Testament and Jesus’ teachings are peppered with references to helping those less fortunate. If I can cast it in black or white, our satisfaction in lifting up others lies either in garnering the praises of our friends and neighbors or in pleasing God. We’ll reap a reward for our help either way. In the first case we can throw out our chest when someone praises us for our help. Pride and a vague feeling of “I’m better than they are” will likely be our only reward. It’s way too easy to say, “Well, sure I’m doing it for the sake of the Kingdom.” But just how sure are we that our motives for extending help are pure, done out of humility? I’ll admit I haven’t always been too humble.
Apply God’s Word
Jesus’ exhortation in today’s verses is both easy and hard. Easy because the message is crystal clear: give of your resources to those who are lacking. Hard because at least for me it’s only natural to enjoy the praise of others for my good deeds. Moreover, a piece of me wants my resources to stay mine! That “natural” reaction tends to oppose the stark image given by Jesus: don’t even let you left hand in on the help your right hand is offering. I want the “treasure” from my help to be eternal and heavenly (Matthew 6:20), not fleeting and earthly. I trust you do as well.
Come into His Presence
Lord God, we want our motives to be pure, not self-serving, but borne out of a genuine, heartfelt concern for the welfare of others. We can’t clean up our own selfish motives; only You can. So let us let You! In Jesus’ name, amen. |
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