A weekday morning devotional series written by Aaron Marcarelli and hosted by Chad McBeam
“Take care not to practice your righteousness in the sight of people, to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. “So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, so that they will be praised by people. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your charitable giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”
Matthew 6:1-4 NASB2020
Matthew Chapter 5 is about commands of what we are called to do as followers of Christ. Chapter 6 is about warnings of what happens when do not follow Christ as He has called us to do.
In today’s excerpt from Matthew 6 Jesus says that our relationship with God is supposed to be intimate and special. However, when we make it about us and we show everyone what we are doing it becomes an act of idolatry because we are worshiping ourselves rather than God. We should not seek to get our name on a building or a brick or on a program.
We should be like the widow who gave humbly her last coins “Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”
Mark 12:41-44 NIV
Therefore, let us not seek our reward here on earth. Our reward will be in heaven, God sees how we worship with our tithes and offerings, give humbly as He has called us to do!
Lord we thank you for these commands and warnings that give us insight into how to follow you! Thank you that we have the forgiveness of sins and everlasting life with you through Christ’s life, death, resurrection and ascension. Thank you also for the power of the Holy Spirit that helps and gives us strength to follow you. Help us to rely on the Holy Spirit to not seek worldly accolades but to seek eternal ones by being humble in our giving. Thank you Lord in Jesus Name we pray. Amen…
Shalom, Blessings, Press in and Press On