Jesus?!? Likes Secrets?!?

In our reading for today, Matthew 6:1-4 jumped out at me. Jesus is preaching the Sermon on the Mount when he touched on the issue of giving to the needy. He presented an idea that was uncommon to the times: “…when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do…” Essentially, Jesus was saying that our acts of kindness should not be publicly displayed. Our rewards should not come from man, but from God. Then Jesus made the statement that the hypocrites who make their acts of kindness public have already received their full award in the honor of men; those who are giving from the depths of their hearts receive the secret rewards for things done in secret. Sometimes it is hard for us as believers to do things in secret for God’s glory when we also desire the approval of men. Jesus wants us to neglect our desire for man’s approval for divine approval…“which is more meaningful, I think”…and harder to live by.