Useless Works

Day XCVI


Matthew 6:2 Thus whenever you do charitable giving, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in synagogues and on streets so that people will praise them. I tell you the truth, they have their reward. 3 But when you do your giving, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your gift may be in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.

Today dear brothers and sisters may we take this message from our God. May this teaching be part of our inner man and do it wholeheartedly. Ever had a situation when you did something that turns out to be a waste of time and effort? This is the same situation when we do something thinking it is for God (actually it may be just a show) that we do a charitable work.

God is clear about this and we have to obediently obey. Dear brother and sisters may we not go into the trap of the enemy that we are deceived thinking we helped for good reason/purpose. May we always look into our hearts before giving for God only accepts a joyful giver. How could we know? When you feel you have doubt, when you felt the money is too big for you to give, when you question the other person/the receiver about your giving, when you do charitable work because you are thinking this favor will get reward from the other person or someone in authority and other confusion that question whether to give or not. These are the things that complicate the work for charity. How can we change it? We can fight it by saying NO to these thoughts and ask God to give you the charitable heart willing to give. Let him direct you to the right decision and consult God for your action. Lift up to God your doubt and ask him to give you the cheerful heart in giving because we should remember that when we give its a privileged because we don't do it to them but we did it to Jesus. Think of this thought - think that this is a test that an angel or Jesus Christ went in the form of human/worldly things that test our response. Best of all let us do it in secret cause what we do in secret, God sees them.