Jesus said, “Instead,
when you are making a charitable donation, don’t let your left hand know what
your right hand is up to...”
—
Matthew 6:3 (USC)
Morality is what Jesus seems to be pinpointing, here.
We know we aren’t
supposed to be claiming another person’s credit, but Jesus extends this into
the realm of a higher moral vision, because there is no glory to God when we
attract to ourselves what those of the world do.
It’s no problem for
someone of worldly ethics to promote the fact they gave to this cause or to
that one. Indeed, it can be part of their core business strategy.
But Jesus isn’t
specifying this moral imperative for the worldly. It’s the Christian that the
onus is on. We have no basis judging the worldly person for claiming what they
see as rightly theirs – their donation is their credit, and that is a most
direct relationship.
But we are called to
a higher moral vision: one that will attract persons open to the Kingdom
because of our self-effacing obedience. Such a person – even someone already
converted – will be intrigued to learn the motive that gives with resistance to
credit.
They see something
noble in the act and there is naturally a spark of curiosity. They wonder what
compelled such a gift and the running from credit. They are captivated because
of the implicit strength such a virtuous act requires.
Strength is
attractional, and virtuous acts are the best show of strength overall.
The person who does a
good work with the right hand that the left has no knowledge of is a craftsman
of obedience to God’s will.
They do not simply
obey for legalism’s sake – because Jesus told them so. Their obedience has a
deeper conviction of belief in Jesus about it.
Making a “charitable”
donation implies love which transcends obedience for the sake of impressing
people, even Jesus. Such a loving act is about doing so because we believe such
an act is right and appropriate for the situation.
Both the giving and
the avoidance of credit are based in love; the first is love for the other
person, the second is love for God.
When we do our acts
of good because we know they are right – and we even do them in secret, when
nobody is watching – our obedience has risen to the higher moral standard of
Jesus.
The only obedience
worthy of faith in Jesus is the obedience of doing what is right because we can.
***
QUESTIONS in REVIEW:
1. Think of someone so convicted to
act obediently. Have they created the conditions of their obedience in any way?
2. How can you more fully commit to
this higher moral vision of Jesus’?
© 2015 S. J. Wickham.
Note: USC version is Under the Southern Cross, The New Testament in Australian English
(2014). This translation was painstakingly developed by Dr. Richard Moore, a NT
Greek scholar, over nearly thirty years.
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