Who gets the credit

October 10, 2008

Matthew 6:1-2 BBE

(1)  Take care not to do your good works before men, to be seen by them; or you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

(2)  When then you give money to the poor, do not make a noise about it, as the false-hearted men do in the Synagogues and in the streets, so that they may have glory from men. Truly, I say to you, They have their reward.

I do not put down people who make charitable contributions to organizations and then expect to be mentioned.  It is human nature.  However it is not what God wants.  When I do my giving I do it in private.  Years ago, when very short on money, someone came to me and gave me what food they had.  They did not know our situation but they did know that God had talked to them to give me the food to help my family through a rough time.  What was interesting was when that person told me (and verified it with the people) that God had told three other people to help us.  They were people well respected in the church I was told.  Why they did not help us I do not know.  Could it have been they would not be seen giving a reward? I do not know and I do not judge them, they might have been struggling also.  

Years later I was in a situation where I could give food to someone else whose shelves were literally bare. Because someone else in the church had shared some food with me, I asked him if it was OK to share what he had given me with them.  He said yes and added to it.  The two of us went off announced to provide what they needed.  We never got a mention in the church for what we did, but the gratitude of the people who received it was worth it all.  I only tell you of the story now to show you that it is easy to live what God tells us to do. 

Someone once said, all things are possible if you do not worry about who gets the credit.  I think that all things are possible with God if you do not care who gets the credit. 

Read through the Bible in historical order
Today
Matthew 5:1-7:29 
Tomorrow
Matthew 8:1-13, Luke 7:1-50, 
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