Matthew 6
Giving to the Needy
Have
you ever been on a date? There is overwhelming need to impress the
other person, to prove that you are worth a couple hours of their
time and interest. This is not what the gospel is about. We are not
dating God. Our objective should neither be to impress God or people,
but to love people through the power of the Holy Spirit of God.
Giving
in public is not the issue, but the motive for doing it is. We are
not always given the choice of the selection people present in a
given circumstance; we just don't make them our audience when we
give.
At the
start of chapter six, Jesus shows us what charity is supposed to be,
an overflow of the heart, a physical expression of the work being
done on our hearts. It is the ministry that Christ works through us,
as willing channels.
Real
giving is not exhausting or burdensome, it is a delight for the one
giving and the one receiving. Its the kind God rewards.
Questions:
- Think of the best gift you've ever received, and then the worst. What made the one worse or better than the other?
- What does honest giving look like?
- What in your life keep you from giving more?
- Share a way that you would like to give (time, money, etc.).
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