There is an old saying: “Good deeds often go unnoticed.” But if most of us were completely honest, we would like to be noticed for our good deeds. We want others to see our good works. It is as if we are in some kind of race to be recognized by man. We seek to put trophies on our walls that will be recognized by others who have trophies on their walls. We seek man’s opinion, praise, and recognition—which have no eternal benefit.
The truth is, God’s opinion is the only one that matters. God’s Word is clear that when we do things in private for those in need, He will bless us accordingly.
Luke 14:12-14
Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
Is there anything wrong with inviting friends, family, and the affluent into our homes? Of course not. But we should also welcome people in need, who can’t return the favor. Here lies the wisdom! If we have the resources to host people, whether they be rich or poor or somewhere in between, those resources come directly from God as a blessing and a responsibility.
James 1:17
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
This verse means that when we receive blessings, we know they’re from our Heavenly Father. Because we are blessed, we should always leave room to bless others who may not have the same resources. Money is one of the biggest ways that God stretches our faith, and the stretching starts with our giving. Money spent and invested doesn’t stretch our faith. Freely giving does. We must not hold on to God’s provision while neglecting those in need.
Proverbs 28:22
The stingy are eager to get rich and are unaware that poverty awaits them.
Faith is put into motion when we give to those in need or provide for those less fortunate, when only God knows about it. This is why, in Matthew 6:2-4, Jesus says: “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 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.”
Men, when we give in secret, we’re not giving to impress people or draw attention to ourselves. It is not the honor of people that we seek. This secret, sacrificial giving is between you and God. Now consider how the Lord actually challenges us to tithe. In fact, there is only one verse in the Bible where God tells us to test him. He says, “Test me in this and see how I respond to your tithe.” When we give to our local church or any Bible-teaching church, God says that He will bless us.
Here’s the whole verse:
Malachi 3:10
“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.”
All too often, we are reluctant to give because we get stuck on thoughts like, “The church may not spend my gift wisely.” When we give to the poor, we might have thoughts like, “If they would only get a job or be wiser with their money,” or, “If only they were more like we are.”
But when we give to the church or to others in need, consider this: Our gift is between us and God! Our future reward is baked into the giving. But how that gift is ultimately used is between its recipient and God. Our job is to honor the Lord with our resources.
Proverbs 3:9-10
Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.
The responsibility of the one who receives is to honor the Lord with the gift. While on earth, this side of heaven, we don’t own anything; we are stewards of His blessings. As stewards, we are to wisely handle the gifts of God so when we make our faithful journey home, we not only will be rewarded, but we will hear those words that we long to hear: “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:21)
So don’t hold back. Trust Him that if you honor Him in your giving, He will reward you according to your good deeds.
Have a great weekend,
SL Thomas