In these verses Jesus gives us advice on what holiness looks like when it comes to giving. But this advice can also be used when it comes to the value that we place upon money and other material things that we receive from others as well.

If we give for the purpose of having others see how generous we are or even for that good feeling we have about ourselves when we give, we are in jeopardy of losing our true reward which comes from our Father in Heaven.  When we give so others see us, or give because it gives us a warm feeling inside, these things puff us up so that we place a material value upon our generosity. This takes us away from the purity of heart that brings us closer to our heavenly Father.

If we receive the praise of the world, it overshadows that praise that comes from God.  What exactly is this praise from God?  It is the way that true giving transforms us into the image that God wants us to be.  The end result of humble giving is true holiness.  I don’t believe that our holiness is based upon God keeping track of how much we give to the poor, but rather it is in the results that proper giving has upon our character where the holiness takes place.

Those who gladly receive people’s praise for their generosity have already received their reward for it has enlarged their self-importance.  So all those wealthy pastors who receive the treasures of this world for their Christian duty have already received a worldly reward instead of a spiritual one.  Heaven may be very disappointing for such people.

So Jesus tells us that when we give to others, whether it is financial or even pastoral, we must not keep a mental record of what we do.  Just give our offering and forget it as though the left hand does not know what the right is doing. That’s when we receive the eternal reward from our Father and this reward is the transformation of our soul from being worldly to becoming more spiritual.  In this state we become more aware of God’s truth and presence in our life.  John tells us in his first letter:

1 John 2:3 (KJV)
³And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

So when we obey and do things the way that Jesus taught us we become more assured and confident in his presence in our lives.