Scripture:
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.
Observation:
Sometimes, I struggle to determine what the Holy Spirit wants me to write about in the morning. I pray about it before I ever get started. Because my desire is obedience. I want my heart in right standing with the Father. As I was going back and forth this morning, I landed here. In Matthew chapter 6. If you have been reading the bible for any length of time, you know this portion of scripture as the sermon on the mound. The words might be in red in your bible because they come directly from the savior HIMSELF. So let’s see what HE has to say, shall we? HE starts out by warning HIS listeners saying… “Take heed,” means be careful, look out, or be mindful. Then HE continues by telling you what to watch out for. Don’t do your charitable acts to be recognized by others to be seen by them. If that is your stance… when they praise you for it, that will be the extent of your reward. A pat on the back from the man. Verse 2 kind of digs in a little bit deeper. So I want to give you a little history. The religious leaders at that time wanted to be seen as good… it was how they held the people’s attention. So whenever they did something like helping some poor old lady across the street or giving someone some food to eat, they would have a trumpet sound so that everyone could see them and think that they were good. As HE goes on, HE says they have received all that they are going to. Verse 3 just repeats what has already been said. “Do not let your right hand know what your left hand is doing.” I absolutely love Verse 4 because it brings our focus right back to where it’s supposed to be. On the father. It says, “Do your charitable acts in secret?” The heavenly father sees what is done in secret, and HE will reward what is done for HIS glory.
Application:
I’m just going to be honest this principle is one of the hardest ones to follow. I know I myself want to be seen as good. I want to walk with integrity and do the right thing. Helping others is part of that. But do I do it for my recognition? That’s where the danger is. We do not want to seek our glory… but we seek to glorify the Father. I want my life to please GOD, and to be honest, what you think of me doesn’t matter. Although I want you to think good of me just like everyone else wants to people to think good of them. But here is the deal. Why do we do the good we do…? Is it to be seen by others…? If you did something kind for someone, would you have to be recognized for it or could you keep it to yourself? I’m going to tell you it’s kind of hard. GOD knows your heart. HE sees what motivates you. HE knows whose glory you are seeking. My whole point in all this is that I want my heart to be in the right position. I want to do the right thing because it’s the right thing to do. The Bible says let another man praise you and not your own lips. I have to say this because I believe it’s spirit-led. As someone who has struggled with addiction in the past, it’s hard to hear anything good about me, and most of the time, when something good is said, I dismiss it because it has been driven into my head that I am not good. So after the LORD changed my life. It was easy to want to hear someone say good job, Eric. Today, I know that I am a clay pot… only a vessel for the LORD. Anything good that is done by me HE gets the credit for. It’s all about HIM… I want less of me and more of HIM. I want to be emptied of me. I have been redeemed bought by the blood of the lamb. My life is HIS glory. Anything good that happens HE gets the credit for. Anything bad that was probably me.
Prayer:
Father, we ask this morning that our lives be lived for you. It’s not about us… it’s about what you have done in and through us. Our very nature is to glorify ourselves. We want to go against that and glorify you. Help us to operate in secret when we are doing something for others. We do not need to be recognized. Because we know it’s not us who does it. Let our pride fall to the waste side and your glory be seen. You are the one who rebuilds lives. You are the one who gives. You are the one who moves us with compassion in our hearts. You are good. You are the treasure. We are nothing but clay. Let everything we do be for your glory alone in the mighty name of Jesus. I pray, amen.