We find ourselves in a unique place.
Last week we got into the path that Jesus was leading us into to come to the conclusion of love one another, where Jesus would be rewriting the Jewish Golden and Silver Rules to the Jesus version: Do unto others as you want them to do unto you.
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”
(Matthew 7:12)
But on our way, Jesus takes an apparent detour (but do not be fooled!)
“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
(Matthew 6:1-4 NIV)
What is the obvious, top-layer lesson that Jesus is teaching here?
The obvious lesson is that we should do our giving in private and have God honour us, not people… Almost all the sermons I have heard on the matter asks: “Who do you want to reward you? People with limited resources and patience, or God, with unlimited resources?”
Sounds like we have to be convinced on the basis of a return on our investment? (Which actually goes directly against what God is expecting here.)
First thing to note…
There is no question about giving.
In other words: The decision is not whether you should or shouldn’t. (In our Caucasian, Western culture we worry about “what if I give him money and he uses it for drugs or alcohol?!” – there is no space for such a concern here.) There is no discussion on how to decide if you should or shouldn’t. It is accepted as the norm that you are giving and will continue to give generously.
Jesus says: “When you give…”
Giving was considered Tzedakah – a duty to restore justice.
Giving was not just Justice… Giving was chesed – Loving-kindness.
A duty to care, if you will. The act of giving was seen as Tikkun Olam – Repairing the World.
Does it start to make sense why people wanted others to know about their generosity? Look everyone! I am doing my bit for social justice and restoration!
Remember where Jesus is coming from and going to:
The Greatest Command is to Love God and then Love your Neighbour…
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
(Matthew 22:36-40 NIV)
As much as we want to be acknowledged for the things we did right, there is a deeper lesson to be learnt here:
(And please know. I have no theology for the following except in reference to how I experience God’s Character. I base my theory on the application of Laws in Leviticus and Deuteronomy)
“‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the Lord your God.”
(Leviticus 19:9-10 NIV)
”When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. When you beat the olives from your trees, do not go over the branches a second time. Leave what remains for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow. When you harvest the grapes in your vineyard, do not go over the vines again. Leave what remains for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow.”
(Deuteronomy 24:19-21 NIV)
(How this practically worked can be seen in Ruth chapter 2.)
The Giving was done in such a way that the receiver still had dignity. A part of the harvest was “left” so that a person can “work” for what they gained. Not only did it take care of the person, but it allowed them to reset themselves into a mindset of being able to get out of their situation. They are strong enough and capable enough to escape their hardship.
Interestingly enough, this is also the modern thought behind crisis and trauma management. Help the person as much as you can because they are simply not capable of making decisions or actively doing anything, but as soon as you can, even for the smallest thing, try and get them to take action… even if it is just to brush their teeth. It shows them they are not helpless, and if they can brush their teeth, they can take one step up, and one more, and so on and so forth until they are back to a functional state, and ready to start a healing process, which they are then in control of, themselves.
See the restoration of self and dignity?
So the Second Level of teaching…
I believe Jesus is revealing that if you boast in your generosity, you are greedily building up your own self-image, while robbing someone from theirs.
By publicly proclaiming your “goodness” you are actually proclaiming that they are incapable and unable to care for themselves. Whereas if you gave in secret, they could, if ready to, use the gift to step up, and get back into their role and purpose in society.
“But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
(Matthew 6:3-4 NIV)
Why will God reward you? Not for the giving, but for the good thing that was done for one of His children… in secret.
All throughout the gospels, Jesus is moved to action by Faith, Love and Compassion. So that is why I think this is what Jesus is teaching the people.
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(As a side note and to make it a bit more personal: If you were in a position where everything has gone miserably wrong… how would you want to be helped? How would you want to be treated? Would you want others to know about your failures and shortcomings?
If you fell down, wouldn’t you prefer just to be helped up, and not have someone declare: Look! He fell! He is no good, he keeps falling, he needs help to get up. I will help him get up, look everyone, the fallen one will be helped by me!)
Have a blessed week and be a blessing to those God puts in your path!
