In Matthew 6:1-18 Jesus warns his disciples that they are susceptible to doing the right things for the wrong reasons, and one of those things is giving to the needy. Then Jesus gives an example of good and bad giving, and then finally, the assurance of the Father’s reward. He tells us that the difference between genuine righteousness and religious performance comes down to the motivation of your heart. He teaches us that giving with the right heart should be an act of worship and compassionate concern, not an effort to make a statement to others about your worth. We finish with three takeaways: Do not stop doing good for fear of the wrong motivation; Do not let doing good make you prideful; and live and give for an audience of One.
Scripture: Matt. 6:1-4; 5:16; Deut. 15; Ruth; Gal. 6:10; Matt. 25
