Don't Let Your Left Hand Know What Your Right Hand Is Doing
Give To Someone In Need
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.6.1-4.NKJ
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The term hypocrites used here, describes people who do good deeds for the wrong reasons; not out of compassion, love, or other good motives, but for profit and appearances only, blowing their own trumpet and placing themselves on a pedestal.
Their actions may seem good, but their motives are hollow.
These acts bring fruitless temporary reward, and the truth is, the only reward they will ever get.
To not allow your left hand to know what your right hand is doing is not an excuse to hide your selfish agendas, but rather to protect you from falling into self.
But God, who sees all things, will reward those accordingly, for all our actions both good and evil come with consequences.
When Jesus says, don't tell your left hand what your right hand is doing, He is teaching that our motives for giving to God and others must be pure.
It's easy to give with mixed motives, to do something for someone if it will benefit us in some way. But we believers should avoid all scheming and give out of love, as a response to God's love.
It's easier to do what is right when we gain recognition, profits, and praise, but to be sure our motives are not selfish, we should do our good deeds quietly or in secret, with no thought of reward.
Jesus says, we should check our motives in three areas; generosity (6:4); prayer (6:6), and fasting(6:18.
Those acts should not be self-centered but God centered, done not to make us look good, but to make God look good.
The reward God promises is not material, and is never given to those who seek it. “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
Matthew 6:33 NKJV
Doing something only to put ourselves on a pedestal, or to give us status, power, or money, is not a loving sacrifice.
Their are many suffering, orphans, widows, sick and disabled; and people caught up in addiction, poor health, and many held by curses and all kinds of evils, and we believers all need to do our bit to help. Therefore, “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.”
Matthew 10:8 NKJV
Whatever you do or give, do it out of love without any kind of selfish agenda or expectation, and do it only by the leading of the Holy Spirit, for a fool and his money are quickly parted.
The devil is always quick to whisper emotional blackmail into his victims. We believers are not a “meal ticket” for the lazy, nor are you responsible for every church project or orphanage, though the devil would have you believe you are.
Therefore be wise, give only by the leading of the Spirit, for “The thief has come to steal, and to kill, and destroy. Jesus came that you may have life, and that you may have it more abundantly (JOHN 10:10).”
Giving for the wrong reasons, may even undermine God’s work in others and take you into poverty.
We are all called to help the needy, but giving is more than food and drink; taking the time and effort to share the gospel in truth is the most important gift of all. Therefore, do it to please God, not to please man, but to benefit him, for “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”
II Peter 3:9 NKJV
My beloved, neither a people pleasing or watered down or twisted gospel can help anyone. There is only one Jesus, He’s not a prosperity Jesus, and He doesn’t make false promises to get you into His church.
Jesus is the truth (JOHN 14:6), and It is the truth and only the truth that sets us free (JOHN 8:32).
One is not saved because of his good deeds, nor can he purchase or work for it.
It is a free gift to those who believe the truth of Jesus Christ, not the lies of men.
“I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.”
Galatians 1:6-10 NKJV
My brethren, “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”
Colossians 3:12-17 NKJV
All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.
