Young People's Group

DOING CHARITABLE DEEDS

by Pastor Mitch
August 28, 2005

The Spiritual Discipline Of Giving

The act of giving should be a cultivated discipline. It should not be done just as a one-off thing. The Lord Jesus underscored to his disciples the great need to have spiritual disciplines like prayer and exercising faith. He also taught the disciples to give to the needy as a way of life. Similarly, this truth should be imbibed and internalized in our lives so that whenever we come across the poor, our natural reaction is to give.

Giving To Win The Applause Of Men

Doing charitable deeds before men had always been an Old Testament practice. However, during the times of Jesus, it degenerated to an act to win the applause of men. The Lord Jesus warned of this in the text of Matthew 6:1: “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them.” There was this problem of self pride in wanting to look good before man. The sin of wanting self glory lurks within all of us.

“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.”
Matthew 6:2

We end up focusing on appearing good before men and forgetting the real reason behind giving.

Training Ourselves To Please God Alone

The design of doing charitable deeds was never meant to please men. It was intended to train us to please God and God alone.

“Do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.”
Matthew 6:1

The Lord desires us to care for the poor. Our response should be one of obedience in reaching out to those in need. The primary reason is not to earn the praises of men but God. We are meant to please our Father in heaven and He will reward us accordingly.

“And your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward openly.”
Matthew 6:4

We must focus on seeking the Lord’s approval. The Lord’s blessings would be upon us when we consider the poor.

“Blessed is he who considers the poor”
Psalm 41:1

The Quiet Performance Of Deeds Of Mercy

How best can we do these charitable deeds? Firstly, we must give quietly before God.

“But when you a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret…”
Matthew 6:3-4

We do not draw attention to what we are giving. When we give, we give in secret before God. We do not let other people know of what we are giving. Secondly, we do it from a heart of compassion for the poor. This spiritual discipline is meant to train the heart to feel pity for the needy. We are meant to learn to have hearts that will always be kind. In this way, the poor will always be cared for. Young people, let’s be merciful towards the poor. Let’s seek always to do charitable deeds for them.

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