Giving in Secret
“God has given us two hands—one to receive with and the other to give with. We are not cisterns made for hoarding; we are channels made for giving.” – Billy Graham
Matthew 6:1-4 NIV
“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So WHEN you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 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. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
“The goal of pleasing the Father is traded for its shrunken cousin, the goal of pleasing men.” – D.A. Carson
In a world that gives to be seen by everyone, we give to be seen by only One.
What Happens When We Give to Impress People?
That is our reward.
Matthew 6:2 NIV
“So WHEN you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.”
“To stand with a penny in one hand and a trumpet in the other is the posture of hypocrisy.” – Charles Spurgeon
What Happens When We Give to Impress People?
There is no reward from God.
Matthew 6:3-4 NIV
“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. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will REWARD you.”
What Happens When We Give to Impress People?
Help turns to hurt.
“It would be better not to have given him anything rather than to have given to him publicly and shamed him.” – Rabbi Yannai (3rd century)
“We are to SHOW when tempted to HIDE and HIDE when tempted to SHOW.”
– A.B. Bruce
The 8 Types of Givers
- The one who gives sadly and reluctantly.
- The one who gives less than is fitting but gives it cheerfully.
- The one who gives only after having been asked to give.
- The one who gives before being asked.
- The one who gives in such a way they do not know who is receiving it.
- The one who gives in such a way the receiver does not know who is giving it.
- The one who gives in total anonymity, so they do not know who will receive it and the receiver does not know who gave it.
- The one who does not give charity at all but helps the poor rehabilitate themselves by lending them money, taking them into partnerships, or employing them, for in this way the end is achieved without any loss of self-respect.
