No: when you give money, don’t let your left hand have any idea what your right hand is up to. Matthew 6:3 (TKNT)
On the Down Low – Sermon on the Mount Series – Part 6
Go to PART 1 | PART 2 | PART 3 | PART 4 | PART 5 | PART 6 | PART 7 | PART 8 | PART 9 | PART 10 | PART 11 | PART 12 | PART 13 | PART 14
“When you are practicing your piety, mind you don’t do it with an eye on the audience! Otherwise, you won’t have any reward from your Father in Heaven. So when you give money to the poor, don’t sound a trumpet in front of you. That’s what people do when they’re just play-acting, in the synagogues and the streets.
They do it so people will be impressed by them. I’m telling you the truth: they’ve received their reward in full. No: when you give money, don’t let your left hand have any idea what your right hand is up to. That way, your giving will be in secret. And your father, who sees in secret, will repay you.” Matthew 6:1-4 (N.T. Wright’s “The Kingdom New Testament Translation”).
PRACTICE 6: SECRETLY GIVE.
If we want to welcome God’s kingdom transformation in our world, GIVE TO THE DOWNTRODDEN. If we want to welcome God’s kingdom transformation in ourselves, GIVE ON THE DOWN LOW.
Our Lord doesn’t say ‘if’ we give to the needy, but “when we give.” The hiding of our good is the best guard against hypocrisy and welcome of God’s grace. It also guards the dignity of those with who are downtrodden. It reminds us that the redistribution of our wealth is an act of repentance in response to God’s goodness, not our own righteousness.
As followers of Jesus, our misdeeds should be confessed in public and our merciful deeds done in private. Distributing our blessings to those on the bottom helps us know the ‘difference between blessings from worldly possessions.'
God sees who we are in secret and rewards us with his transforming Presence.
Ask God how you can foster becoming a person who gives to the downtrodden and does it on the down low?
PRAYER: Lord, rejecting the limelight you came to us in a manger, grew up in the backwaters of Galilee and served as your way of saving. Teach us to be people who confess publicly, and serve and give to others in secret. Amen.
Contributed and Written by: Jarrod McKenna
Facebook.com/jarrodandmates
Twitter: @jarrodmckenna
Instagram: @jarrodmckenna
You can watch the “Love Makes a Way Documentary,” by copying this link into your web browser: pktfuel.com/LMAW
Go to Part 7 – Pray in Secret »
We'd love to hear from you in the comments below. We'd love to connect with you.
[vcex_image_grid columns=”3″ pagination=”false” thumbnail_link=”custom_link” link_title_tag=”true” custom_links_target=”_blank” overlay_style=”title-category-visible” columns_gap=”5″ img_hover_style=”fade-out” image_ids=”20934,20935,20937″ custom_links=”https://itunes.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1239768002?pt=118656308&ct=blog%20footer&mt=8,https://www.pktfuel.com/dailyemail,https://www.pktfuel.com/support” img_height=”350″]