Key Passage: Matthew 6:1-4

Topic: Other; Christian Living

"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, ESV)

In this verse Jesus looks at giving and what our motive should not be. Don't do it to be admired by others. When you do good deeds, do them privately, not publicly to be seen by others.

In other words, our motive for doing good deeds is to please God, not to gain points with other people.

Take giving for example. God doesn't make as big of a deal about the amount we give, as He does how we give it. Whenever we give to the Lord, whether it's our talents, money or time, God looks at our motives and our heart.

God is more concerned with why we give than what we give. If we give so that people will notice us or think better of us, then Jesus says we lose the reward from God.

However, if we give willingly with a desire to please God, then He will reward us.

Think about it. Would you rather have the temporary praise of other people, or an eternal reward from God? We make that decision every time we give or do something good.