Matthew 6 - Practising Righteousness Sample

Giving

Giving with the motive of being seen by others has some reward. Plenty of corporate giving is done to be seen, to give exposure to the company doing the giving, and to bring notoriety to the principals. It is a good thing that giving is enacted, but questions remain about how altruistic it is, if, for instance, it no longer attracted tax breaks?

Giving with the intention of it being done in secret, by not notifying the world, has reward too. The reward in the first instance is being seen—that is your reward, you’ll be noticed by men. The reward in the second is you will be rewarded (openly by implication) by your Father “who sees in secret.” Some commentators believe this happens on the day of reckoning—the final judgment—but I wonder if that is the only way of seeing it? Nothing is said as to when God rewards, so equally it could be here and now. Experience bears this out, without taking away from God’s final reward for the righteous.

Jesus’ mention of the blowing of trumpets is likely a figure of speech that graphically portrays the motive of people who give and garner attention by so doing. Announcing your magnanimity isn’t magnanimous, after all, according to Jesus.

And not letting your left hand and right hand acknowledge each other is hyperbole as well. A point is being made using exaggeration for effect. It works, as we get the point.

Giving is assumed by Jesus as integral to a believer’s lifestyle. If you have encountered Jesus, it is impossible that your wallet hasn’t been baptized into God’s kingdom will too. Martin Luther, the reformer, believed we needed two baptisms: one of ourselves into Christ and the other of our wallet. His canny wisdom is hard to refute.

In simple terms: don’t make a song and a dance about giving. God will reward you however he sees fit, but you can be sure it will be more impacting and lasting than the fleeting accolades of man.