FOR HIS EYES ONLY

Matthew 6:1-4
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

Teaching about Giving to the Needy

“Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. 2 When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. 3 But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. 4 Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.


There is a song lyric which says, “Only what you do for Christ will last.”

In Matthew 6, Jesus repeats this teaching three times. Relating to giving, praying and fasting, He teaches the standard of private devotion vs. public display. When our motivation is public recognition, Jesus classifies our giving … praying … fasting … as hypocrisy.

Let your devotion be ‘For His Eyes Only’! Don’t worry about others seeing what you have done. If God decides to give you recognition on this side of eternity, let that be His doing, not your goal. Set your motivation on pleasing Almighty God. That is what will reap the eternal reward.