What kind of a giver are you? Are you a secret giver?

 

READ: Matthew 6:1-4

 

Matthew 6:3-4

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. (NIV)

 

• We are to give secretly
• We are to give to the needy – “But when …” It is presumed
• Then, He will reward us.

  APPLICATION:

• We need to give to the needy
• When we give don’t complain afterwards! (2 Cor. 9:7)
• If we give in this way, then the Father will reward us.

 

Several years ago a preacher was in line to pay for his items at a convenience store. He noticed the family in front of him did not have enough money to pay for their items. He tapped the man on the shoulder and said, “You don’t need to turn around, but please accept this money.” The man took the money and did not turn around. Nine years later the pastor was invited to speak at a church in New Orleans. After the service, a man walked up to the preacher and shared his story about how he had come to faith in Christ: “Several years ago, my wife and our child were destitute. We had lost everything, had no jobs, no money and we were living in our car. We had lost all hope, and we had agreed to a suicide pact, including our child. However, we decided to give our son one last meal, so we drove to a convenience store to buy some food and milk. While we were standing in line, we realized that we did not have enough money to pay for the items. A man behind us asked us to please take some money from his hand, but not to look at him. This man told us, ‘Jesus loves you’. We left the store, drove to our designated suicide site, and wept for hours. We couldn’t go through with it, so we drove away. As we drove, we noticed a church with a sign out front which said, ‘Jesus Loves You’. We went to church that very next Sunday, and we both were saved that day.” He then told the pastor, “When you began speaking this morning, I knew immediately that you were the man who gave us that money. Your act of kindness was much more than a simple good deed. Three people are alive today because of it.”[i]

 

We are never quite sure what our act of kindness or generosity will mean for someone. Many of us have been impacted by others and what they have done for us. There is so much sadness and darkness in our world, but every once in a while a ray of light bursts through the clouds to give us hope.

 

This passage in Matthew teaches us not only to give generously, but also to give secretly. One author said, “But the Lord said that in giving one should not even let his left hand know what his right hand is doing, that is, it should be so secret that the giver readily forgets what he gave.”[ii] When we give to others it should be done with such a heart that we don’t even pay attention to our own generosity.

 

2 Corinthians 9:6-7 is a passage that sheds more light on the subject of giving: “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” This passage reminds us of two principals. First, we are to give generously. We are to even look for opportunities to give. Secondly, we are not to give reluctantly or to complain about it afterwards. But we are to be more than happy to give to others.

 

God wants us to be Secret Agents who are looking for opportunities to give, but to give secretly. God is more interested in our heart when it comes to giving. Do you give grudgingly? Do you complain about it later? Do you let others know about your good deed? If so, then stop giving! God is more interested in your motives for giving, then your gift itself.

 

Ask God to give you an opportunity to give in the coming weeks. It is that time of year when there are more than enough opportunities. Pray for His leading and discernment, and then give generously!

 

Each week’s Monday Motivation is taken from the reading schedule found in the Life Journal. If you are ready for the next step in your discipleship, then order yours today at www.lifejournal.cc

 

If you would like help in growing in your faith, or if you would like to know how to begin a relationship with Him, then please contact us at (928)636-2949 or email me at pastorguy@cvgrace.com

 

 

[i] This story was shared on a website called: Seedtime on February 9th, 2015

[ii] Barbieri, L. A., Jr. (1985). Matthew. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 32). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.