The Daily Dose

The narrow gate?

Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.  Matthew 7:14

Life? What does it truly mean to live a good life?  What was God’s idea of a good life when He created people?  Is it to work hard to accumulate things?  Is it being entertained at every free minute?  Is it having a family, working until you are 65 and retiring to live out the rest of your life in comfort and leisure? Well, none of these things are bad, and there certainly are worse ways to live out your days, but today’s text gives us some hints on God’s idea of living life to the fullest.

The passage starts with “Enter by the narrow gate.”  It goes on to say the narrow gate is difficult but leads to life.  So why is the narrow gate difficult?  Well, first of all, if you picture an actual gate that is narrow, you could imagine that it would require you to unload anything that wasn’t actually part of you to get through it.  You would have to put down things that were heavy and burdensome.  In today’s world, you would have to enter on foot, not driving a vehicle through or bringing any of your possessions.  Mostly, it is taking a path that is purposeful and planned out by the Creator Himself.  Most people would follow the path of least resistance.  It can seem easier to coast or drift through life without purposefully pointing your life in a direction of intentionality.  Some would even purpose to pursue the things of this world that are fleeting and temporary but will dissolve away when they are done here.

I see this as a spiritual gate.  Living your life growing your spirit person, that is what gets through the narrow gate.  You can spiritually sense laying down your cares and burdens and trusting in the God of the universe to get you through.  Notice that He is only interested in a relationship with you, not the things of this world.  Of course, it is wise to properly maintain your physical body, but this is not what actually goes through the narrow gate.  To truly live this life to the fullest, an individual must have a personal relationship and fellowship with the Father of love.  The wide gate is for the masses which many can fit through all at once.  Those headed toward this gate give no consideration to a connection with the God of creation, they are only trying to get to “mine” first. 

Today I would encourage you to take a look at which gate you are heading toward.  Are you seeking out the precious personal time to fellowship and commune with your heavenly Father?  Or are you with the masses trying to secure what is best for me and mine.  Have you stored up for yourself treasures in this world, or do you place your treasure and resources in His kingdom where it cannot be eaten away by rust and moths?  Decide today that you are going to start making an eternal investments by helping others and using your resources to promote God’s agenda.  Then spend time each day purposing to press into Him through the narrow gate of relationship and being an example of His love everywhere you go.

Today’s scripture reading: Matthew 7:13-14

13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 

14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

How much more

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! Matthew 7:11

This verse was part of yesterday’s scripture reading, but I don’t want to skip over a discussion about it.  Mostly because it likens our heavenly Father to how we love here in the world.  When you consider how much you love your own children, or if you do not have children yet, how much your parents love you, why would anyone think that God wants to harm or hold back how much He loves us.

It says that if we as fallen, imperfect people know how to do good for our own children, certainly God gives so much more love to His children.  It actually says He gives good things when we ask for them.  Not just the good things that are in His heart to give. This message is reinforced throughout scripture.  Romans 8:32 says it this way: He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?  He didn’t even keep for Himself His greatest and best gift, His only Son.  Think about it, if He were going to withhold something from us, wouldn’t it be the One thing that was most precious to Him?  Or look at it the other way.  He made provision for us in Christ Jesus, the greatest, perfect gift.  Is that gift lacking in anything that we need in this world?  Our salvation includes forgiveness, but it also includes His Spirit, His love, goodness, power, blessing, strength, peace and well being.  There is nothing lacking because He is our good Father that has given us all things the pertain to this life and godliness. (2 Peter 1:3)

Jesus goes a step further in the very next verse.  He said: so whatever good things you want people to do for you, do that for them.  I consider this in my own life.  Because I like to give, I am now asking myself are the gifts I give the things that I want/would like or are they things I want to get rid of and am finished using.  Are they things that don’t cost a lot so I can give the appearance of being a giver, but I hold on to the good stuff for myself?  This is a tough question and one that deserves thorough examination, especially when it comes to loving those who are not yet children of God.  Am I willing to be a generous giver to show people what God, my Father, is really like?

Today I would encourage you to do two things:  First, become more aware of how much God, your heavenly Father loves you and want to give you the good things you need and desire in your life.  He is not holding back, and He is not hiding them from you.  Ask today for the things you require and the things you even want.  Then ask Him to show you the path to take to get in line with all the blessings He has stored up for your life.  Second, ask Him to strengthen and empower you to be a generous giver also.  Ask Him to show you when and what you can give when the opportunity is there.  Show the world around you the love and generosity of God by being a generous giver of all things like He is.

Today’s scripture reading: Matthew 7:7-12

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 

8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 

9 Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 

10 Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? 

11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! 

12 Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

Take hold of His promises

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”  Matthew 7:7

So, I noticed something recently, and it’s something I’m sure I have noticed before.  However, it is a bit more obvious to me now or just a strong reminder.  I had something very heavy on my heart, so I asked God for help with it.  It was something that was going to happen that day.  Every time I thought of it while I was at work, instead of worrying about it, I would thank God that He was working on it and it was going to all work out, and then it did!  Glory to God!  The next day, I had some stuff going on that I needed to do after work and I had hoped it would all work out, but I really wasn’t talking to or committing it to God or holding on to Him and believing He was going to fit it all in.  Well, I didn’t get done working in time and it just didn’t work out.  As I was thinking about it later on I remembered that I was not so intent the second day, but how faithful God was when I was trusting Him with thankfulness instead of taking every opportunity to worry about the situation. Today’s verse is a promise from Jesus that if you ask, He will give.   It was in my believing this promise and then showing I believed it by thanking Him for it, that He worked it all out.  When I don’t keep up my faith and believe His promises, I am letting my hope slip and I have no anchor to attach my faith to. I am just kind of coasting through life.

Philippians 4:6 says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;”   It says don’t worry about anything but pray, then with thanksgiving you believe that God is taking care of it.  Don’t forget the thanksgiving part.  You can be thankful for what God has already done in your life, or you can be thankful for what He is doing right now.  You can even be thankful for what He is going to do going forward.  In my particular case, I had asked God in the morning to take care of a situation and then every time I thought of it again, I said, “Thank you, Father, for handling this situation and working out all the details.”  Then I would think about all the times He came through for me in the past and thanked Him for that, and all the things He has brought me through. Most of them so much bigger than what I was asking Him for right now.

My point?  That is how I stayed in faith.  By knowing that He heard my prayer, trusting that He will keep the promises He made in His Word, showing I believe Him by thanking Him for what He’s about to do, and now He is working it all out.  I showed I believed it by thanking Him instead of asking Him over and over again or begging Him saying: “Please, please, please!” 

Today, I want to encourage you to hold on to God in faith for the things you are believing He is working on.  Instead of asking Him repeatedly, start thanking Him and believe He is working on it and bringing it all together.  Find a promise in His Word to speak every time you are tempted to worry about the situation.  As you begin to thank Him for all He is doing, you will notice the peace of God coming because you know He hears you when you pray.  Any doubt and worry will fade away because even though you don’t see the answer yet, you know He is on the job and will never let you down.

Today’s scripture reading:  Matthew 7:7-12

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 

8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 

9 Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 

10 Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? 

11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! 

12 Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

Blind spots

“And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?”  Matthew 7:3

I think we all know about blind spots.  Most commonly are the ones we experience when driving.  It is the area where a person’s view is obstructed in both mirrors and windows.  Other blind spots we can experience in life are spiritual.  They are things you don’t even know that you don’t know. An example of this is when Paul went to Ephesus and asked the disciples there if they had received the Holy Spirit. Acts 19:1-2 says, “And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So, they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.”  They didn’t even know there was a Holy Spirit.  That is for sure a blind spot.

Today’s scripture is talking about pointing out other people’s problems when you have your own bigger issue.  Jesus says it’s like having a plank in your own eye and you’re trying to remove dust from someone else’s field of vision.  That plank is causing a blind spot in your vision that you have no idea even exists.  Imagine seeing someone walking around with a plank in their eye.  They would be running into things and hurting themselves and others all the while never even knowing why they cannot move forward in life.  It is really a ridiculous and sad picture. 

The truth is we all have blind spots because none of us can know everything.  That is why we help each other out.  The problem is some of us don’t like help.  We enjoy pointing out where others are missing it, but don’t want to hear about areas where we can improve.  Instead, let’s become people who help one another.  Get yourself an accountability partner that can speak encouraging words into your life and you into theirs.  Make a plan ahead of time to help each other grow and to listen when there may be an area where growth is needed.  Don’t be like the hypocrites of Jesus’ day, decide today to look inward and recognize how you can better love others into the Kingdom of Heaven.

Today I want to encourage you to ask your Heavenly Father to expose your blind spots.  Ask Him to reveal any place you may be missing it in life.  Areas that you don’t know exist, but they are blocking you from moving forward in your walk with the LORD.  Then be willing to listen and ask Him how to eliminate the “spot” once you identify what it is. Thank Him for the grace to grow through the issue and come out on the other side in a position to help others.  Also, consider who you can connect with that you trust to speak gently into your life.  Come up with a plan to personally grow into all that God has planned for you to become!

Today’s scripture reading:  Matthew 7:1 – 6

1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 

2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. 

3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 

4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? 

5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

6 “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.

Don’t Worry

“Therefore, I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?  Matthew 6:15

Don’t worry?  Is this even possible?  In the world we live in today, how can we not worry? Worry about how to make ends meet? Worry about our children growing up in godless society? Worry about contracting the latest variant?  Certainly, God understands that things are a little stressful in day to day living right now?

Well, according to this passage, and this is Jesus speaking, we should not be worried about life.  In fact, this isn’t even a suggestion, it is a direct order.  He said don’t worry about if there will be food on the table of if you will have clothes to wear.  The reason is because life is so much more than eating and the latest fashion.  He goes on to say that God takes care of the birds and the flowers so how much more valuable are people to God than these?

Then Jesus repeats His admonishment “Don’t worry about what you are going to eat or wear. ” He said that is what the gentiles, the people without a relationship with God, worry about.  So, He gives us the key to success in life to having those needs and desires met. It is:  Seek first, that is before anything else, God’s kingdom and His righteousness in Christ Jesus.  As you do that, then all of the above things will be added to you.  That is a extremely awesome promise!!

Lastly, He sums it all up by saying “and don’t worry about tomorrow because tomorrow will take care of its own things.  Live in today!”

Today I want to encourage you not to worry about the things you have need of.  Instead, start the day off seeking God’s kingdom plan and receive His righteousness to accomplish it.  As you begin to line your life up with God’s agenda, all the other things will be added to you and fall into place.

Today’s scripture reading: Matthew 6:25-34

25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 

26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 

27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 

29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 

30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 

32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 

34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Who do you serve?

No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.  Matthew 6:24

Who do you serve?  You have probably never thought of it and maybe a better question would be what do you serve?  Ideally, your answer would be God, but realistically, it would probably be safe to say: yourself, your employer, your friends and family or your bank account.

In order to truthfully answer this question, let’s take a look at life’s priorities.  In my case, my priorities are my family members.  I have a job, but since it is part time, our household does not solely depend on my income.  I can also identify that I spend a significant amount of time studying and pursuing God, His goodness, love and purpose for my life.  However, if I am being honest with myself, I would have to admit that I am mostly interested in me and what belongs to me.  Do I serve me? Sometimes.  When it comes down to the decisions I make in life, my desire is to follow God’s plan because I know there is success there.  Do I always do it perfectly? No way!!  However, my heart’s desire is to honor God and be successful in the things He has called me to, so I attempt to follow every direction He speaks to my heart and through His Word.

Today’s scripture only gives two choices.  God or mammon.  Other translations would say God or money, but mammon is the name of the spirit of covetousness.  This is good news, because money is not evil.  In fact, we need it to accomplish well, anything.  The key is not to trust or depend on it.  We trust God to provide, and we trust God to meet our needs.  Mostly, that happens by our faithfully working in the employment that He has given us to supply those needs we have such as: home, food, clothing and transportation. 

I believe the question to ask yourself is: Are you working hard for the money? Or are you working hard to honor and represent your Heavenly Father at the job He has given you to provide money.  Chase after God, not after a paycheck.  When you follow what He has planned for you, you will live the richest and fullest life ever imaginable.

Lastly, this passage says if you try to serve both God and mammon, you will hate one of them and love the other or cling to/be loyal to one and despise the other.  Wow!  This is enlightening.  It explains why there are so many people out there that hate their jobs but will not let go because the are working for the money.  Likewise, there are many that are thankful for the employment and work hard with a good attitude because they recognize that it is a gift to have the opportunity to choose where and how you will serve the Master.

Today I want to encourage you to examine your heart and your life.  Ask yourself “am I working hard for money or am I working for my Father in heaven by being a good employee with a good attitude and work ethic?”  Be honest with yourself and make an adjustment if you need to.  Mostly, be thankful for all God has provided for you and be faithful to work where you are as unto God, not your boss.

Today’s scripture reading: Matthew 6:22-24

22 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. 

23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

Invest in your future

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21

I love this passage in Matthew that talks about your “treasure”.  In the past, this was also one of those elusive scriptures to me because I never considered that I had a “treasure”.  Treasure to me always seemed like something in a fairy tale or pirate story.  Silly right?  Finally, I realized that my treasure is what I value most.  When I began to think about what was valuable in this world, like material things, as opposed to things valuable in heaven such as people and the good we do for others here on earth, then I started to get it.  That’s when I began to recognize how important it is to invest in my future . . . my eternal future.  But how?

Let’s examine the verses a little closer.  It says that your heart will follow where you put your treasure. So once again it is a step of faith. The first act is to intentionally lay up your “treasure” (what is most valuable to you) in heavenly things.  So first of all, determine what your treasure is.  The passage is talking some about your financial treasure because it refers to “things”, but it is not limited there.  Your treasure is where you put your time and energy also, which are even more valuable than your money because they are not replaceable.  Put your money, time, resources and efforts into the things of the Kingdom of God and before long that will be what you are most interested and love. . . where your heart is.   You will notice your heart following your “treasure”.  You will become increasingly interested in growing your heavenly account each day.

Lastly, Revelation 14:13 says “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.” It is very interesting that though we cannot be saved or get into heaven by “good works” or anything we do, this passage indicates that good works are still important and will actually follow you into eternity.  That is, work that is done for the kingdom of heaven here on earth.  We’ve all heard the saying “you can’t take it with you”. Well according to God’s Word, there is something you can take with you, other people and good things done for others in the name of Jesus.

Today I encourage you to start investing in eternity and look for others you can bless and pray for.  Reach out and ask God to lead you to those good works that He planned for you to do before you were born (Eph. 2:10).  Then begin to walk in them.  Instead of checking the stock market or your bank account each day to see how your investments are doing, start checking your heavenly account and adding to it daily.  Soon those will be the only investments you are interested in looking at because your heart has followed the faith you put behind your resources.

What about fasting?

“Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.  Matthew 6:16

Here is yet another thing Jesus is telling His disciples that is to be done in secret.  Fasting.  Notice, He doesn’t say to them “If you fast?” like it is an option. He says “When you fast” because it is something they did regularly.

So, what is fasting all about?  Well, let’s start by identifying what fasting is not.  Fasting, at least godly fasting is not about a diet or weight loss.  Fasting is not something you do as a ritual or commandment of God.  Fasting especially isn’t something you do to try to get God to answer your prayer request.

Fasting is a time of separating from the things of the world to “tune in” to the things of God.  It doesn’t have to be food, but certainly can be.  It could be things such as social media, tv/movies, news, or gaming. It can be anything that uses the time that you can turn your attention to God instead.  The things you fast aren’t bad things, it’s just a time you purpose in your heart to spend with God in the space you usually spend with those other things.  Fasting can also be a time when you decide to reach out to others more or in a different way than you usually do, a time of giving of yourself.  When fasting foods, it can be for a time of cleansing in your body for more healthy living.  

The timing is also flexible.  It can be one day as the Israelites did weekly on the sabbath or three days as Esther did to seek God’s wisdom.  Daniel fasted twenty-one days, he still ate food, he just fasted “pleasant foods.” Lastly, Jesus and Moses fasted forty days.  Fasting is not a ritual practice, it is a spiritual discipline.  In fasting, your physical body is forced to submit to your spirit and must obey what you tell it to do instead of your sprit giving into the demands of your flesh to be comfortable.  It is not something you do to try to get God to move closer to you or to move on your behalf.  Fasting is for you to move closer to God and to act on His behalf. 

I know this is not so interesting to some, but it is truly a powerful act of worship.  By putting your flesh in subjection to your spirit, your spirit becomes dominate and more discerning of the things God is speaking to your heart.  Today I would ask that you consider and pray about fasting.  Read about it in the Word and listen to what God has to say about it.  It is not a bad thing, for sure, and it is not obsolete.  The same results can be had today that were given all through Bible times.  If nothing else, in fasting you show yourself just how serious you are about the things of God, and Jesus promised when done in secret you will see the rewards of it openly.

Today’s scripture reading: Matthew 6:16-18

16 “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 

17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 

18 so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

Pray in secret

_{But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. Matthew 6:6}

Apparently, in Jesus’s day, the religious leaders liked to get attention by praying loud and long, but Jesus said that is not an effective way so pray.  He tells us to go to a quiet place and pray in secret, not out on the streets to show how spiritual you are.  He also tell us not to repeat the same things over and over again or use a lot of words.

Then Jesus gives us a format of praying.  A structure and order of how to have a fruitful prayer life.  Ironically, today, this prayer is repeated over and over even after Jesus said vain repetition is not the way to pray.

So He breaks praying down into sections in verses 9-13.  He said, pray in this way/manner:

Start with praise and worship: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed is Your name

Pray for God’s will: Your kingdom come. Your will be done in the earth just as it is in heaven.

God’s provision: Give us today and the “bread” we need today.

Receive and give forgiveness: forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.

Deliverance from the enemy: do not lead us into temptation but deliver us from evil.

End with thanksgiving: Yours is the kingdom and power and glory forever.

Using this format, our prayers can look something like this:  

Precious Heavenly Father, Holy and Wonderful is Your name (Psalms 139:14.  Thank you for bringing Your kingdom to this world through doing your will here today.  Thank you for providing all that we need today to live life abundantly as you have planned (John 10:10).  For your forgiveness in Christ Jesus our Savior and Empowering me to extend that forgiveness to those who hurt or offend me (Eph. 4:32).  Keep me far from temptation and deliver me from any traps the enemy tries to catch me in (1 Cor. 10:13).  Because this is Your world and kingdom, Thank You for having all the power and glory for all eternity!  Amen

Of course, your prayer will not be just like that, but you pray from your heart in the areas Jesus highlighted.  That doesn’t mean those are the only areas you pray about.  We bring all things to our Heavenly Father to receive His wisdom and instruction.

Today I want to encourage you to spend some time praying in your secret place.  Set aside special quiet time to talk to your loving Father.  Take time to listen to the soft words He whispers to your heart.  Then write down those things so you can be praying oven them in the coming days.  Make your time with God the most precious time of each day and He will see you in secret, but your reward will be open for all to see the goodness of God’s love working in your everyday life.

Today’s scripture reading: Matthew 6:5-15

5 “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 

6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. 

7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.

8 “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. 

9 In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.

10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.

13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 

15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Be good to others

But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,  Matthew 6:3

Have you ever done something good or nice for someone and then nobody even notice or acknowledged it.  Maybe you felt slighted or maybe you let others know, because you wanted them to know see a good person you are?  If you have, you are not alone.  In fact, most people want to be notice when doing good and most people are willing to let everyone they talk to know just how wonderful they are.  You might even go so far as criticize others for not thanking you or rewarding you because of your good behavior.

Well, in today’s text, Jesus is teaching that charitable (good) deeds should be done in secret.  What?  Nobody should know about them?  That’s right.  Jesus said that if you are doing good things just so others will notice you or when others are looking, that is all the reward you will get for those deed.  He will not acknowledge them, and they will have no eternal value.

However, He continues in this teaching by saying, when you help others in secret, just because you care about people, then He will personally reward you openly.  The important part is putting your focus on helping others, not on how good you are. 

The fact is that when you do good things just so other can notice you or compliment you, your works are full of pride and selfishness.  Your goodness has little to do with who you are helping and is all about you stepping in to look like a hero that everyone should admire.

Lastly, maybe you are someone who is going through a crisis and think “I can’t even think about doing a good deed because of my situation.  I am stuck in a mess, and that is all I have time to focus on right now.”  In reality, turning your attention to help or encourage someone else in their struggle also comes with the reward of giving you a different and new perspective on your own circumstances.  When you purposefully put aside your own concerns, and secretly decide to comfort a friend through their dilemma, your problem will no longer be the main event in your life.  It has to take a back seat to the person you are helping, and now your purpose in life, at least for a little while becomes supporting others in their struggle. In helping others, you are helping yourself.

Today I want to encourage you to do good for others.  Watch for opportunities to step out and help people throughout your day.  Not because you want to be the hero and recognized as a do-gooder, but because you care about people and want to show them how much God loves them by loving them, yourself.  Then keep it a secret.  Pray for those you have helped in private and then watch how your reward and recognition comes directly from heaven.  Your heavenly Father is depending on you to help grow His kingdom, and it can only be done when you make others your focus.

Today’s scripture reading: Matthew 6:1-4

1 “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. 

2 Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 

3 But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 

4 that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.