“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. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” – Matthew 6:3-4
God always knows our thoughts and feelings. He always knows why we do things, even the things that look and sound the best in the opinion of the world. God understands our motives better than we do. What we think we’re doing for good and righteous reasons isn’t always as selfless and holy as we imagine. This is why Jesus repeatedly urges us to practice our good deeds and acts of righteousness privately, refusing to draw attention to ourselves.
God always knows what and why we do, so we don’t need to worry about Him missing anything we’ve done. By keeping our good deeds quiet, we protect ourselves from doing them for the wrong reasons. It’s very easy to start doing good things to earn applause, respect, a pat on the back, or a name on a plaque. Are we truly doing those things for others? For God’s glory? Or for our glory? It can be hard for us to judge but God always knows.
Cultivate a love of doing secret good deeds for God’s glory. Find joy in quiet gifts and sacrificial generosity to the poor and to the advancement of God’s Kingdom. Develop a love for quiet prayer in your home and car. Grow your love for helping people when nobody else knows or notices. Come to love spiritual disciplines you seldom mention to others. Find your satisfaction in good things that will never be known or spoken of. Teach yourself to do these good things solely for God’s pleasure and the joy of King Jesus.