"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 men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full."
Matthew 6:2
What is Jesus telling us here?
Our learning about Jesus has been about one word: LOVE. God is Love!
the greatest of faith, hope and love is love!
Is our LOVE hypocritical? Pointing directly at me? Me, being the center and first? Is this the generous kind of love the Lord is talking about?
No! this is NOT love, at all!
Love is the fulfillment of the law! More delightful than wine! Strong as death, even! And made complete in us. ((all scripture))
I see Jesus telling us in this scripture not to be prideful and the center of attention. Not waiting for the pat on the back from man. This is the wrong kind of attention, and essentially, the wrong kind of reward.
God wants us to do things in secret!
Here is what He says in His Word: don’t let the right hand know what the left hand is doing! (re: giving), pray in secret!, give abundantly! Give good gifts! Give with love, not sparingly; but generously.
Remember the woman who only had a penny and gave, and the rich man who gave out of his abundance. Jesus SPOTTED the humble woman, giving the last of what she had. He NOTICED!!! This beautiful woman blessed the heart of our Lord. She gave to God with love, out of her little bit. To God, it was everything!
And, I bet you, she didn’t leave that place without a blessing from God! Because our Lord is that good to us!
What did the man do? How did Jesus notice him? Was this man’s heart the first thing Jesus noticed? Was he as the man portrayed in this scripture? This noisy gong got his reward!
I encourage you to read Mat 6 1-4, See for yourself what God is teaching us.
God is in the secret place. Our reward and blessings are in the secret place!
IN is a good place to be. You have read this a lot from me! Being IN Christ Jesus is the best place to be! He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty!
We have ALL of the essence of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in us, as we dwell in our God.
I urge you to get close to Him! Seek Him out! Get the “reward” you are meant to have. Seek God, and you shall find Him! Knock on His door, he is waiting for you! Ask ANYTHING in His name, He tells us.
Give to God- in your abundance- not like the hypocrite, but as the humble child of God you are.
Let your rewards come from God! Blessings HEAPED upon blessings!!!
He GIVES generously to His own. God gives “good gifts” to His children. He provides! He is generous beyond generous! He gives lavishly to us.
He gave eternal life to us, the believer. His precious Son’s life was given, generously, for us, to be redeemed and free. Christ’s GIVING goal was for the Father to have His children with Him. The only way was a generous sacrifice: His Son’s life.
Thank you, Jesus, for giving Your all to us. You didn’t make a prideful-production of it. But generously, stepped up, for a torturous end of life, for a new beginning of life- for us- to be with the Father. O, thank you, Lord.
Help us to us this example of giving as our act of love to you. We need not be noticed by man! No, Lord, the only notice I want is from YOU. The only blessing I choose, is the blessing from my Lord. Forgive me, when I was a loud gong, and went the wrong direction. Forgive me, for allowing pride to get in the way, of your goodness. Thank you, that goodness was there to steer me back in the right direction. The direction of YOU, Lord. I pray in Jesus name, that my reward be in full, handed directly from Your hand to mine, Lord.
Blessings heaped upon blessings, grace upon grace…. well, let me share the blessing you shared with me, Lord. John 1;16 says this: For out of His fullness (abundance) we have all received [all had a share and we were all supplied with] one grace after another and spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing and even favor upon favor and gift [heaped] upon gift.
Thank you! You give out of Your abundance, supersized blessings, in heaps.
You are a good, good, Father. Please forgive me when I yield to sin, and forget how wonderful You truly are, as you lead me once again on the Highway of Holiness. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.