Bible Verse of the Day Monday October 23rd, 2023

Matthew 6:1-2 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.

This verse comes from the Sermon on the Mount. When Jesus opens this verse of scripture with “be careful,” we could take that to mean “take heed” or “beware’” This is a forewarning or admonition that looms large through this entire chapter and the whole of the Sermon Jesus preached on the side of the mountain that blessed day. This message from Jesus is a cautionary warning concerning His complete message preached that day. He did not only mean for this to apply to the ones present that glorious day but to all His followers through the ages.

The point Jesus made with this message was that there is a right and a wrong way of doing good for others. We need more than we do good, but we do it with the right motives. Our motives are what is in question, not the deed itself. Some people want to do good for others in need to be noticed and even to gain praise for those around them. This downfall was the sin of the religious leaders of Jesus’ day; they would give to the poor to bring them recognition from their fellow followers. 

Seeking praise from others is a dangerous thing when it comes to serving God. Ensuring our motives are right in our service to God is essential. Satan will always tempt us to live with a deceptive and insincere front. However, living in this phony front means we cannot be sincere before our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus. Those who choose this path place more importance on their status before people, which will always lead to hypocrisy.

Many people say, “The only thing that matters is the doing of the good deed. Some falsely believe it is less important how we do good deeds for those around us and God than doing the deed itself. The world says it would be better to do the right thing with the wrong motives than not do the good deed. However, the point that Jesus makes is that God is more concerned about how we do good works for others and with our motives for doing them.

Matthew 6:4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Jesus shows us the great value of doing good deeds for God’s glory. It is much better to receive our recompenses from God, who compensates us more generously and bigheartedly than humans could ever do.