Can Giving to the Needy Ever Be Selfish? Matthew 6:1-4

 Giving to the Needy

In chapter 6 Jesus first spends time teaching on three spiritual disciplines: giving, praying and fasting. Since Lent is not that far around the corner, Jesus' teachings will be helpful to us during this season. These three disciplines were requirements for religious Jews in Jesus' day. 

6 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

Jesus says to "be careful".  This means it is an intentional decision to think about your motives when you give. By saying "be careful", he is saying we have the tendency to practice our good deeds in front of others to be noticed by them.  Practicing righteousness basically means doing the right things; or deeds that are pleasing to God on behalf of others.  We often say, "It's the right thing to do!"

"This does not contradict His previous command to let your light so shine before men (Matthew 5:16). Although Christians are to be seen doing good works, they must not do good works simply to be seen." Guzik

Whereas the reward you will receive from people who will congratulate for being "such a good person" feels good, this reward is temporary.  But God's reward gives one a deeper satisfaction and is eternal.

2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 

What Jesus is saying "not to do" in verse 1 is further illustrated by the behavior of Jewish people, who not only tried to show off in synagogue when they gathered for worship, but also on the streets to the Gentiles. 

The word "hypocrite" comes from Greek plays and means "actor". Later, it came to mean acting as if "all the world is your stage".  Again, Jesus reminds them that giving in this manner might earn you applause, but it is all you are going to get.  You better enjoy it while you have it, because it will be gone soon.  One only has to look at all the movie stars and rock stars who once had huge audiences, fame and fortune, and now might be lucky to get a few people out to watch.  

3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 

Jesus uses a metaphor here as a strategy for giving in secret.  When we give, if we can so focus on the people we are giving to, it might help us to forget about ourselves.  True service is all about the person you are giving to, not yourself.  While attention might be brought on from others independently, we should keep our eyes focused on Christ and serving the least and the lost. 

Mark 10:43-45 has some great words in this regard, 

"Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Jesus is the ultimate model of serving in secret.  He never helped others to draw attention to himself but to glorify his Father in heaven.  

4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Bottom line is God sees everything you do and why you do it. You can't fool God.  There is something richly rewarding in serving only to please your heavenly Father.  Jesus uses the term "reward" twice.  Though we don't give to receive a reward, we get one.  It's similar to salvation.  Though our good works don't earn us salvation, we now do them in gratitude for the gift of eternal life Jesus has given us.  

One of my favorite sayings is, "You cannot outgive God!"  

Where is God calling to you give to the needy around you?  How can you serve them in secret looking for the Father's reward alone?  May each of our days here on earth be lived in gratittude for what Jesus did of us on the cross as evidenced by how we love and serve others.