"But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right
hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees
what is done in secret, will reward you."
This
may be one of the most overlooked scriptures in the bible.
Jesus
is not only saying don’t publicize your gifts…He is saying hide them.
You
can’t be more secretive than not letting one hand know what the other is doing
so I think His meaning is clear. But
why would Christ tell us to be mysterious when we bless others?
Of
course, part of it is to avoid the self-centeredness that can result from
accepting accolades and appreciation... but there is more to it than that.
There
is an intimacy I share with God when only He and I know of my gift. There is a
pureness in the offering when it is anonymous and completely without
self-elevation.
We
crave recognition. We desire awards and words of appreciation from people or organizations we have helped, but Jesus says by accepting
them we are giving up something better.
We are forfeiting the amazing joy that results from giving a pure
unsoiled gift to our Creator. We give up the quiet smile from God as He
approves our unselfish sacrifice.
The
best way to understand the “reward” Jesus is referring to is to experience it. Let
me challenge you to secretly bless someone today.
Give something extravagant to someone who
needs it. Assist a family with a financial gift that God has
placed on your heart …. now here is the fun part…Not only
don’t publicize your gift…but don’t even let the people you helped know it came
from you.
It
will take some planning to ensure your target receives the gift without knowing
who sent it. You will need to develop strategies to be a silent
donor. But it will be worth the effort.
Whether it's paying for a stranger’s lunch, or buy a car for a family in need, the amount
of the gift is not the point…God loves a cheerful giver. You will experience an
amazing nearness to Him as He approves your offering purely motivated by love.
Try
it …. You can’t out give God…I can guarantee you that if you secretly bless
someone today the blessings will splash out all over you.
“No one has ever become poor by
giving.” - Anne Frank
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