Matthew 6:3-4
When you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Is there anything worse than hypocrisy? Jesus certainly hated it and had the harshest things to say about the hypocrites of His day. He wanted everyone to have the joy of a real relationship with their heavenly Father. In this part of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus contrasted the hypocrite’s play-acting with true devotion to God. The giving of donations to the poor and needy is a responsibility that everyone has, but the way in which it is done is what matters most. Jesus pointed to the hypocrites who, ridiculously, announced their giving with trumpets. His point is clear. When you give, you shouldn’t make a show of it, because the audience that really matters is God alone.
It clearly wouldn’t be possible for our left hand to keep secrets from our right hand. The brain doesn’t work like that! But it’s not difficult to understand what Jesus meant. He was saying that all of our giving should be done in the most secret way we can achieve. Anything short of that will miss out on the blessing which God longs to give to us as we make our gifts. What matters above anything else is that our gifts are an expression of our personal love for God, just between Him and us.
Question
What have you learned about your giving from this passage?
Prayer
Loving God, thank You for Your amazing generosity to me. Help me always to be generous in my giving. Amen

Released on 6 Nov 2026