“So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” -Matthew 6:2-4

When Jesus is preaching on the Sermon on the Mount, he tells everybody that whether it’s your good works, your fasting, or your prayer, do those in secret as much as possible. Does that mean that every good thing you have to do is in secret? No, but what Jesus said is that there’s a reward in it. When we just live a life to please God instead of pleasing people, there is reward in that. I believe that when we do things in secret, it’s a bit like planting a seed — whether it’s good or evil. If you do something bad and keep it a secret — it’s worse. If you do something good, secretly, and people find out later, they say, “wow, what a terrific person.” It takes humility to be the kind of person that doesn’t live a life of people pleasing, but lives a life to please God. That’s what you do — and there’s a power in that.

PRAYER: Thank you, God, for rewarding us for our good deeds. Help us to be humble when helping others.

REFLECTION: How can you do something good for someone today — I dare you to keep it a secret. Then watch as God rewards you.