How to Give

Chapter six starts a section warning against hypocrisy in religion. Verses 1-18 identify three spiritual actions: Giving, praying and fasting. In each case Jesus warns His hearers not to be “as the hypocrites” in these actions and He assures us that “they have their reward” already. The religious leaders, as well as man of the Jews, of the day were the hypocrites Jesus was speaking of. They were involved in important spiritual disciplines. The problem was that their actions were nothing more than disciplines. Their hearts were far from where they should have been.

The Warning

Jesus begins with the warning “Take heed”. The word means to “beware or be on your guard”. There is always the temptation for the holy to become mundane in our life. The religious leaders of Jesus day had let their guard down and allowed their religion to become completely ritualistic. He warns His hearers not to divorce their heart from their head. One of the areas they had done this was giving.

“Alms” were religious deeds that involved giving. It could be the giving of money, food, clothing or other items necessary for life. Giving played an important role in the religion of Judaism. Note that Jesus says “When you give” not “If you give”. Giving was expected of the Jewish person. The Law says in Leviticus 25:35 “And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him; yea, though he be a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with thee.” (See also Proverbs 14:21, 19:17, 21:13, and 28:27). The people of Jesus day were obeying the letter of the law. However, they were completely missing the spirit of the law. For this reason, they became hypocritical in their actions.

The term “hypocrite” is a word that was used to describe a Greek actor. In the theater the actors often wore masks. Consider the following truths about actors:

* They pretend to be someone they are not.

* Their intention is to please the audience.

* Their actions are exaggerated.

This was the case with the religious people of Jesus day. Their giving was supposed to be for the glory of God. However, it had become merely a performance for man. Jesus warned that when our giving becomes a performance, we forfeit our reward in heaven for the reward of man. Jesus says in verse two that the hypocrites “have their rewards”. Their reward is the glory they receive from man.

There is a need in man’s sinful nature to be perceived as more righteous than we actually are. An easy way to convince others that we are “good people” is to give. Our society feeds off of man’s need to be in the spotlight in the area of giving. Organizations will publish your name in a magazine, put your name on a plaque, honor you above others, etc. all to encourage you to give more. Their strategy works. People give and expect to be recognized by men when they do.

If we are giving because we are good people there should be no reason for us to want others to know about it. If we are giving to be perceived as good people then there is all the reason in the world for us to want others to know about it! Jesus warns us to beware because the temptation is great to want to have that pat on the back. Some people have an extravagant personality. They love to be in the forefront of everything that is going on. Oftentimes they have no problem with paying the bill for the extravagance. It is obvious that these people will soon become loved by others. Everyone likes someone who will give to them and serve them. If the giving person is not careful the praise they get from man will become their motive for giving. At this point their giving becomes hypocritical. No one is above loving the praise of man more than the praise of God. What we should understand is that when our giving becomes motivated for man’s glory we forfeit God’s reward.

How Not to Give

Everything about the hypocrites giving pointed people toward himself. The blowing of the trumpet symbolizes the calling of attention to oneself. The hypocrite gives in such a way that everyone knows he or she is giving. I once had a man approach me about a large inheritance he received. He began to tell me about his mother passing away and how she was worth quiet a large amount of money. He explained that he had inherited a large sum and would be receiving it soon. He then got into dollar amounts and asked me if I thought he should tithe off of it or not. I told him that he certainly should. He replied that he knew that already and just wanted to see what I would say. He went on and on about how he was going to give this money to the church. When I left the man I could not help but think about this verse. Why would this man tell me so much about his giving? I can only assume that he was sounding a trumpet. He wanted to call my attention to his religious actions. This man was completely right in giving the money but completely wrong in sounding the trumpet.

Jesus goes on to say that the hypocrites give in the synagogue and in the streets. They sound the trumpet in the synagogue to let everyone know how religious they are. They sound the trumpet in the streets to let everyone know how concerned they are for their fellow man. They give to God and they give to humanity. However, the manner in which they are giving is completely wrong. Giving people are not necessarily godly people. In fact if they are giving while they are sounding the trumpet they are most likely not godly. If they will only give when the trumpet sounds, they are not godly people. Jesus is compelling us not to call attention to ourselves as we give. This reveals a corrupt heart and is a temptation for us to love men’s praise more than God’s praise.

There is a reward to this type of giving. It is man’s reward. It may be popularity, friendship, notoriety, applause, etc. However, that reward will fade. There will always be someone who gives more and that person will gain the spotlight of the world. Man’s reward is temporary and vain. Giving for the attention of man is not worth what is paid for it.

The Proper Way to Give

Jesus does not want us to stop giving. He assumes we will give. Believers cannot help but allow the love of the Lord to spill over into giving. However, giving should be such a secretive thing that our own left hand does not know what our right hand is doing. Of course this is metaphorical. It would be impossible for us to do that. Jesus uses extreme language here for us to get the point. He doesn’t mean that we should not place our offering in the plate as it passes by because others may see us do it. He doesn’t mean that we should not help people in need because someone is watching us. Jesus is teaching us to give in secrecy for the glory of God not openly for the reward of man. As believers we know that we are giving to the Lord and to others. We assume that as Christians we will do these things. We do not need to prove it to anyone.

When we give we will be tempted to let others know. We must make an effort to give in such a way that only God is aware of it. He must become our sole purpose for giving. We must desire His approval above the approval of man. Consider the following:

* God knows what we give. We do not need to tell anyone else.

* God knows why we give. If we are giving for any other reason than His glory we are not pleasing Him.

* God knows when we give. If we only give when man is watching, we are not pleasing Him. I think that the offering that pleases God most is the anonymous offering. I think the card that pleases Him most is the anonymous card. I think that the relief that pleases Him most is the anonymous relief.

Secret alms are no secret to God. We do not have to prove our spirituality to Him. He sees every dollar and every motive behind every dollar. We should also remember that some people give secretly but do so in hypocrisy. They cloak their greed in verses like this. No one knows that they don’t tithe because they give in cash. Yet God knows they do not tithe. He sees the amount. They take heart in knowing that people see them give their offering. They are perceived as giving and religious. Yet their offering does not represent anything close to what the Lord would have them give. God is not pleased with such giving. It fools man but not God.

If our giving is in secret God will reward us openly. God’s reward will be experienced to the fullest in eternity. We will stand before Him and hear those words every true believer longs to hear “Well done, thou good and faithful servant, enter in to the joy of the Lord”! There is no good deed that will be unrecognized by our Heavenly Father. Hebrews 4:13 says “Neither is their any creature that is not manifest in His sight but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.” We can forfeit our eternal rewards for the temporary favor of man or we can give secretly and enjoy the eternal unfading rewards of heaven. It is our choice.