Together in Christ: 'Goodness Out of the Spotlight' — Matthew 6:1-4

"You could tell a lot about a person's character if you could know what they do, say, and think when no one is looking."

Have you heard something similar to this? It's true. And this is Jesus' point. When we do good things to receive the notice of those on earth, we lose the long-term applause of heaven. When we live for rewards on earth, we eliminate the rewards of heaven. Good deeds — those deeds done to bless others — should honor God and come from a heart seeking to share God's gracious compassion and faithful love. ^[1] But when people do compassionate and loving actions to be seen and admired by others, Jesus is emphatic: "they have received all the reward they will ever get." We give our gifts and our helpful actions to bless the person in need. We want to share the goodness of God with them as if we were doing good things for Jesus Himself. ^[2] When we do beneficial things "under the radar," then our "Father, who sees everything, will reward" us with eternal blessings. God doesn't want us to show out but to share grace. It's that simple. Our Father doesn't want us to poison our acts of kindness with the spirit of self-promotion or attention-grabbing deeds. If God is my primary orienting relationship, I will always treat my neighbors out of love, ^[3] especially when helping with their needs, not out of a desire for others to think I am someone special!