Some years ago, a man came forward and anonymously offered to cover a month’s rent for a struggling family at my church. It was a generous offer, and the family was overjoyed and deeply grateful. They truly needed the help.
After I had made all the arrangements, the benefactor approached me one Sunday morning and informed me that he had decided to tell the family that he was the one who had provided the money.
I asked, “Why?”
He replied, “Well, I just want them to know where the money came from. Just in case they ever wanted to talk to me about it.”
I said, “If you tell them, they’re going to feel like they owe you and obligated to pay you back. Is that what you want?”
I could tell by his demeanor that his motive for revealing his generosity came from a desire for recognition. Fortunately, his wife was standing next to him and quickly let him know this wasn’t a good idea. So, in the end, he never told them.
I was relieved—and reminded of an important lesson Jesus teaches about generosity.
He said: “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
So, when you give to the needy, don’t announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 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.” (Matthew 6:1-4)
Generosity is not just something we should do—it is something we are commanded to do. But it should never be done to earn praise and recognition from others.
The true reward for generosity comes from our Father in heaven. Let Him be the one who recognizes your generous heart.
So give, and give generously. But let your generosity bring glory to God, not yourself.
Think it Over:
- Examine your motives. Ask yourself: Why do I give? Is it truly to honor God and help others, or is there a part of me that desires recognition? Challenge yourself to give in a way that only God sees, trusting that His reward is greater than human praise.
- Give Without Expecting Anything in Return. Would you still be willing to give if no one ever knew about it? True generosity isn’t transactional—it’s sacrificial. Challenge yourself to give with no strings attached, expecting nothing in return.
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