Matthew 6:1 - 4

1 “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.

2 Therefore, 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. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.

3 But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,

4 that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.

Verse one gives us an important message. The reason for doing good, is not to get earthly glory and honor. We are to do good for the important reason of “loving your neighbor,” when we have that reason as our motive, then God rewards us accordingly. If the reason is for the glory and honor here on earth, there is no reward from God in heaven.

We are not to make a big deal out of doing good, the act is not a “photo op”, or a “Kodak moment”, we do not want to be broadcasting our good for others to see, whether it is on “Facebook”, “Pinterest”, “Twitter”, or any other social media service. We do not want to sound a horn to grab the attention of everyone around who would see us doing good. If we do this and gain honor and glory of man, Jesus says we have gotten our only reward for the good deed.

When we do a good deed, we should do it as if it were a secret, if we could keep our left hand from knowing what our right hand was doing then we would accomplish the motive of doing good for the right reasons.

When we do the good deed as if in secret then man may not know but God who sees any and everything will reward us for our actions. Our reward may not appear openly while we live on earth, but we will be laying up “treasure in heaven.” (Matthew 6:20)