“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” (Matt. 6:2, NLT).
God did not call us to service to be street performers, but to be faithful disciples at home and in the mission field. Whether we sit in worship for one hour or four, what we come away with matters. Hence, the quality of our giving, not the quantity, is what honors God. Scripture requires that you honor the LORD with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce (Prov. 3:9).
Remember, we have made a living sacrifice to the Lord. If we are in Christ, our bodies belong to Christ; so, it is reasonable to say that everything we have belongs to God.
What and how we give show that we respect His omnipotence and acknowledge His omnipresence.
“Abel brought the first lamb born to one of his sheep and gave the best parts of it as an offering. The LORD was pleased with Abel and his offering” (Gen. 4:4).
Thus, it is written: “By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he was attested to be righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks” (Heb. 11:4).
Abel’s heart was in the right place. The heart behind the gift matters more than the gift itself. Cain’s heart was not in the right place; He did not offer an acceptable sacrifice, and the evidence was in his attitude and the events that occurred afterward.
The righteous give without restraint or expectation. They offer to the Lord’s collection plate or some other charity what they have to give, expecting nothing in return.
Cain expected to be praised and applauded as much as his brother and perhaps more. Scripture says, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves” (Phil. 2:3).
Give humbly and expect nothing in return!
Briefly, consider your thoughts about the person who does good but ensures others know what he or she did?
Telling about your good deeds, depending on how you do it, can be considered boasting, which the Scripture speaks against. We also need to remember that Scripture says, “Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth; an outsider, and not your own lips” (Prov. 27:2). We do not do good deeds to boast; eventually, someone will talk about the deed. Please do what you do, but do not expect fame for doing it.
Understand that Scripture does not forbid doing good in front of an audience.
However, Christians are prohibited from doing deeds with the intention of glorifying ourselves instead of God.
Give and expect nothing in return.
Nettie Pennington, is Associate Minister, Springfield MB Church. She is a faithful contributor to your Tate Record Church Page.
