Happiness is Selfless Giving

Imagine the sound of a trumpet blaring as a Pharisee parades through the streets, flaunting their charitable acts for all to see. But is true righteousness found in the pursuit of public praise?

Jesus teaches us otherwise in Matthew 6:2–4, encouraging us to give to the poor with humility and secrecy, knowing that our Father in heaven sees and will reward us accordingly.

When it comes to giving to the poor, there are many different motivations at play. Some give because they feel they should, because it’s the right thing to do. Others give because they want to be seen as generous, or because they want to feel good about themselves. But the most powerful reason to give is because it’s the right thing to do, and because it’s what God wants us to do.

You see, the Pharisees in Jesus’ time were notorious for giving to the poor in order to be seen by others. They would blow trumpets and make a big show of it, all so that people would think they were really good people. But Jesus saw through this, and he knew that true righteousness comes from doing the right thing for the right reasons.

That’s why he said, “When you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. So that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:3–4)

This is the heart of true giving: doing it because it’s the right thing to do, and because it’s what God wants us to do. Not because we want to be seen as generous, or because we want to feel good about ourselves.

In the end, it’s not about the trumpet blasts or the public praise. It’s about fulfilling our duty as Christian believers to give to the poor with humility and obedience to God’s will.

So, let us not be like the Pharisees, performing acts of charity for the sake of recognition, but instead let us take action, with pure hearts, motivated by the knowledge that our Father in heaven sees and rewards us accordingly. Let’s give with the conviction that true righteousness comes from doing what is right because it is God’s will.