Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet
before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that
they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what
thy right hand doeth:
That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth
in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
Matthew 6:2-4 KJV
Everyone seeks some form of recognition and it may be hard
for some not to blow their own trumpets. Yes, you can have bragging rights but
not when it comes to acts of righteousness. The Pharisees and other religious leaders
blew their own trumpets when they gave alms and their aim was to have the glory
of men. This they did in the church and in the streets. They wanted people to
praise them and they received their reward from men but not from God.
God sees what we do in secret and will reward us openly. This
may not go well with rational minds but that is the principle God operates
with. We help people in our inner circle and don’t usually broadcast that. God
wants us to glorify Him and not seek self-glory when we help those in need. Those
we give know and give thanks to God. Why should I give if I will not be
recognized publicly? It is because I trust God to keep his word to reward me
openly and nothing more but if I want instant reward then I can go ahead and
blow my own trumpet. Which do you want? Men’s reward or God’s reward?
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