HOST: Michael Whitworth
Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 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. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
What is your motive? Where is your heart? These are the issues that are really behind much of what Jesus teaches throughout the Sermon on the Mount. Doing good deeds is certainly admirable, and should be something that is important to all of us. But Jesus takes the doing of good deeds one step further by asking the question, “Why are you doing them?” He says, if you do them only for the sake of being recognized and praised by men, then your reward is only that recognition, and there is no further reward from God. In every aspect of our lives, God cares about our hearts. He wants us to live right and do good, but the “why” is also vitally important. We should do good deeds because we love God and love others, because we desire to serve God and point others to Him. The recognition and reward that we seek is one that comes from God, and that is greater than any reward this world has to offer.
Why do you think our hearts are so important to God?
Don’t forget to pray and have a great day!
