“Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. 2 When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. 3 But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. 4 Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. – Matthew 6:1-4 NLT
This is a powerful statement, isn’t it, straight from the mouth of Jesus?
And it’s easy to get trapped into telling the world what we’ve done, because we’re human. And as humans we want recognition. We want to be seen and heard. We want to be accepted and loved.
But Jesus warns us against telling the world about the good we’ve done, especially when we’re doing it to be recognized. He speaks against false humility.
I’ve seen so many social media posts that start something like this.. “I’m so humbled,” followed by detail of the good works they’ve done.
My friend, you’re not humbled. You’re telling the world what happened because you want to be recognized. That’s pride.
And let me say.. I’m just as guilty of it as anyone.
Let’s check our hearts, friends, before we tell the world of our good deeds. What is our motive? To be a light and inspire someone else or to be recognized?
I can’t even wrap my head around the rewards we’ll get in heaven for giving our gifts in private. Papa, help me hold on long enough to see it through.