Have you ever gotten a gift for a friend or family member and didn’t want them to know that it was you that had given the gift? Maybe you knew that they needed something but they didn’t have the means to get it themselves, so you decided that you would give them that thing, free of charge, without them knowing who actually gave it to them. That is like an alms that Jesus taught about in the Bible.
Matthew 6:1-4 “Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.”
What is an alms? An alms is “something given to the poor as charity, such as money, clothing or food,” and in this passage, Jesus taught that when someone is going to give an alms that it should be done in a secret manner, without anyone else knowing that it is being done. To give, not because you desire the praise or thanks or admiration from others, but because of your love for the other person.
How many times have you seen a giant announcement somewhere, maybe on the television or a newspaper where it lets the entire viewing audience know when someone gives a large amount of money to a charity or other organization? While it may certainly be a gift, a gift given in this type of public manner is not the way that the Lord Jesus wants an alms gift to be given. As we read a moment ago, Jesus says that we should give alms in a secret manner, out of the sight of others who might give you praise for your act of giving. If someone receives praise from men for their gift that they gave then Jesus taught, that is their reward.
If something is done in secret it is not known or seen or not meant to be known or seen by others. It is something kept from the knowledge of any but the initiated or privileged.
As Christians we should desire to receive glory from whom? Not men, but Christ. Jesus is the only one Who needs to see our alms that we give, and it is His praises that we should seek. If we want to receive a reward from the Father for almsgivings that we do for others, we need to do it in a secret manner.
Jesus rebuked the Pharisees because they were filled with this kind of attitude. They wanted to be seen by others as they wore their flowing robes and appeared to everyone that they were righteous and holy. They sought the praise from men, instead of seeking praise from God. Again, as Jesus said, they have their reward.
But Christians should not desire to do that. This is because we want the glory to go to Jesus, not ourselves. If we give alms to others, it should be because we love others, and we want to show them the love of God that He has for them as well. And also know that when you give alms in secret, it says that God will reward you openly.
When someone rewards another person, it means that they “recompense or requite someone for service, merit, or achievement.”
See someone in need and you have the ability to help them? Then help! But do it in secret. If you give any sort of alms towards someone, don’t announce it to the world. God will reward you, and His rewards are the only rewards that matter.
In Christ,
Andrew
Teufer Lake King James Bible Church 