"MOTIVES AND REWARDS"

"Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven."

Matthew 6:1

Is God pleased with every act of giving? Do we glorify Him each time we give? Does such an act promise a blessing or reward?

In Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, He teaches that righteousness includes our internal motives as much as our external actions. In today's verse, the Lord emphasizes that what's in our hearts is more important than what our hands are doing. He is not saying that what we do is insignificant, but good deeds with evil motives are entirely unacceptable.

The Jewish religion of Jesus' time had a high opinion on giving alms, public prayer, and fasting. Jesus did not prohibit anyone from doing such things. However, He taught that the reason and manner of doing them mattered. After all, giving is not a matter between a person and others, but between a person and God.

The Pharisees publicly displayed their almsgiving because they wanted to be noticed by people and gain God's favor, both of which were inappropriate reasons. If such an act ever achieves anything, it is no more than temporary praise of men and vainglory. That's the ultimate reward that awaits a person who gives to gain attention from people.

God calls every believer to do good works. However, someone can perform acts of righteousness and receive not a commendation from God but a rebuke. This reproach happens when we do something to receive human praise and promote our personal interests. The Bible tells us that the pious acts of an unrepentant person are unacceptable to God (Isaiah 64:6).

I think that to expect God to bless us each time we give is misguided. Giving should be voluntary and spontaneous. It's even more absurd to give and expect the receiver to return the favor. Have you ever given somebody a birthday gift and felt bad because you did not receive anything from him or her when it was your turn?

The Lord indeed rewards us for our good deeds, but that reward doesn't necessarily come in this life. But one thing's for sure: we will receive spiritual blessings now and eternal blessings in heaven.

In conclusion, not every kind of righteous act is acceptable to God, who judges people's hearts. Having the right motive is essential to our giving. If we bless others for the sake of being noticed, we should expect no other reward than momentary human recognition. On the other hand, if we give to honor God, we can anticipate blessings that not even the wealthiest oligarch can afford.

Pursue the Savior today!