Day Three Matthew 6:3-4
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 6:3-4 (NLT)
Learn From the Word
Jesus says our giving and acts of righteousness should be a secret even to ourselves! While that’s not entirely possible, the heart behind His words is that we would avoid even patting ourselves on the back when doing good deeds. Charles Spurgeon once said this: “Keep the thing so secret that even you yourself are hardly aware that you are doing anything praiseworthy. Let God be present, and you will have enough of an audience.” Jesus promises that God sees the action, He sees the heart behind the action, and He rewards them both when they’re done for His glory.
Put It Into Practice
Self-righteousness means thinking we can do anything in our own strength to be made right in the eyes of God. It’s a myth, and it keeps our eyes on ourselves rather than the true source of our righteousness – Jesus. Even if you practice good deeds and give to the needy in secret, ask yourself if there's any kind of pride that's leading to self-congratulating. Ask God to root it out and receive His grace and forgiveness. Hear His encouragement to keep going.
For Families with Kids at Home
It’s hard to see that our good actions might be a problem, but they can be a problem if the motive behind them isn’t in the right place. God sees the heart behind our actions. He sees whether they’re out of a place of pride and wanting to be noticed, or out of a heart of humility and a desire to serve.
Tell your kids about a time you did “the right thing for the wrong reason.” Ask them if they’ve ever done something similar. Point out that God is the only One who knows the motives of our hearts, and we should always seek to do the right thing because that’s what Jesus would do, not to get anything out of it!