Giving to the Needy

Here are my thoughts on Matthew 6:1-4.

Summary: In this passage, Jesus begins by warning His disciples that if they emulate the Pharisees by performing religious acts in order to be seen by men, then they will only be seen by men – not God Himself..

For example, the Pharisees give to the poor in order to be seen by men; thus, they only receive the applause of men. In contrast, Jesus exhorts His disciples to shun the applause of men in giving to the poor.

Thoughts: After mulling over this passage, I determined that believers at the churches that I have attended have not emulated the Pharisees in this regard. In fact, I cannot recall the last time that I heard another believer discussing their charitable donations. I have witnessed believers seeking attention in other ways – e.g. while leading a worship team – but this particular issue does not seem to be an issue in the modern church. If any readers would like to disabuse me of this notion, though, feel free to leave a comment.