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Let’s begin with a little Lectio Divina. If you are new to the idea of of lectio divina, then let me share the five steps:
- Reading. Read a passage slowly and carefully within the bible.
- Prayer. Having a loving conversation with God.
- Meditation. Thinking deeply or swelling upon a spiritual reality within a text.
- Contemplation. Resting in God’s presence.
- Action. Go and do likewise.
Now, let us read the passage below in that fashion. Matthew 6: 1-4
“[But] take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
2When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
3But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,4so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
Of the many teachings Jesus gave us, this one hit me in the heart perhaps the hardest. In other teachings, Jesus speaks to us about what to do for people (Love them, teach them, serve them, forgive them and so on). In this passage, He tells us HOW to do those things. To paraphrase, do it in private, in secret, in a humble way like a whisper of God in their ear.
In our modern time (not unlike Jesus’s time by the way), we don’t have to look far at all to find people and situations that perform their services for great pomp and they hope the adoring eyes of those who have the privilege of witnessing them. It’s interesting to note-Jesus doesn’t break their backs about that, not really. He simply says that if that is why they do it, then they’ve received their reward. In other words, if you stand up and preach the word so others can admire you, their admiration (which is, I hope you realize vanity and fleeting) is the whole of your reward.
On the other hand, let’s look at why he might ask us to do things a little different….in secret.
Let’s pretend someone you know is in dire need of rent money or they will lose their apartment. They arrived at this because of some illness or accident. They are potentially feeling weak, less than, perhaps even like they failed. Now, you can help them, you can be an answered prayer and you pay the rent.
In Jesus’s instruction, you arrange to have the rent paid or give them the money without knowing it was you who did it, and in fact you tell no one you’ve done it-you just make it happen. When the person receives the blessing, they aren’t thank you, they are thanking God. Their focus is on the need provided for, and the gratitude is given to God.
If you, on the other hand, tell everyone you are helping, and then make a spectacle of helping the scenario changes a bit.
The first things we risk is that their focus is on US and not the Father (who truly provided). We also risk, perhaps, changing the relationship with that person. They may feel indebted to you. They may develop a misplaced resentment that you had to save their butts. You may develop some kind of feeling of entitlement, “Well, I helped you then, you owe me!.” There may be an uncomfortable shame dynamic.
There is also some other possible things that develop. Both your business, and the business of the person helped becomes a matter of public talk (gossip). Dignity and privacy are compromised.
When we help people in secret, when we act as God’s hands in this world, both the person being helped and we who helped keep our eyes on the Lord. We are doing the right things for the right reasons, not for our own vanity at the expense of another’s dignity.
Just some food for thought….
As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord,
L Brandel
