Matthew 6:3 (New International Version)"But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing..."
I find this phrase has particular significance to me at the moment. Picture the scene: you need to help someone, however your nearest and dearest proceed to kick up a fuss about it. Your relatives and friends try their best to prevent us from doing it. Perhaps for the best of reasons. They may feel we are going too far, doing too much. With the best of intentions they are there to save you from yourself. So, the answer from the Lord seems to be that you should do it anyway and keep quiet about it!
The passage from Matthew 6:1-13 (culminating in the well-known words of The Lord's Prayer) is not exactly teaching us what to do, but how to do it - without making a fuss or attracting too much publicity. It's not telling us to be deceptive - to avoid the concerns of our loved ones - but to simply go about our work without fanfare or fuss. It's more a direct attack against hypocrisy, against an outward show in our faith without an inward commitment. Remember, God knows what you do, and He has promised to reward us - as a loving Father does to his obedient child.
Both faith and works should not be for fame or glory - but simply for Him!
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