What Is the Reward for Doing Good?

We’ve all been subjected at one time or another to the cloying behavior of the people-pleaser. What used to be called a “goodie two shoes” is now the more dignified sounding “virtue signaler,” but the motive is unchanged over time. It’s still a desire for approval, a need to gain attention for doing good.

Jesus addressed the human bent toward public displays of righteousness in his Sermon on the Mount:

"Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:1-2)

He goes on to warn his listeners about their motives for three spiritual practices: charitable giving, praying, and fasting. They are not meant to be performances, but expressions of devotion that flow from a new heart devoted to God.

Jesus reserved his most scalding words for hypocrites or what Bible scholar F. Dale Bruner referred to as the “show-offs.” Unimpressed by the very public righteousness of the religious elite, Jesus warned them to dial it back, keep it quiet, and prove their devotion by giving, praying, or fasting away from the spotlight.

“Your Father Who Sees in Secret”

Social media has given us all the opportunity to sound the trumpet, tooting our own horn whenever we do anything noteworthy, and leaving us all with the responsibility to sift our motives with care. Am I posting this picture because my grandchildren are inexpressibly adorable or because I want the world to know what a great Bam I am? Do I want to share my latest online article because I’m committed to the growth of my readers or am I going for numbers?

Jesus assured his listeners that God alone knows the difference.

Therefore, when it comes to motive, God’s omniscience is both comfort and terror. When I put my whole heart into a writing project that’s read by hardly a soul or prepare for hours to teach my tiny Sunday school class, God is just as pleased with my service as if I was the keynote at a major conference. He sees and loves and approves, and one day all those who have served in small, unseen places will hear his "well done."

But because there are no secrets from God, he also sees the desire for recognition that lurks behind every big financial gift. He knows about the smug self-congratulation that follows a flowery public prayer or the spiritual “fast” that’s more about weight loss than walking in righteousness.

Jen Wilkin has condensed the message of Matthew 6:1-18 with one statement: Don’t exalt yourself with what is meant to humble you. How incredible that we can offer anything at all to the God of the universe! Therefore, I want to give from a pure heart that recognizes everything that I own belongs to God. I want to pray because God is in control—and I am not. If God enables me to fast, it will be because fasting uncovers my frailty and reveals my dependence upon something that is not God.

“Sound no trumpet,” said Jesus,
To those who would do good for others.
Fold the bill into the plate to hide Ben Franklin’s face.
Avoid the conversational boast, so casual:
“When I took on my third Compassion child . . .”

In the synagogue,
In the streets,
In the moment,
Mute the fanfare,
Shut the door,
Shut your mouth.

And do good.

Do good, so that goodness may be done.
Do it for the Father who sees in secret.
And for Him alone,
For His Greatness must be seen,
And this is your reward.

Praying Together

Lord, no act of righteousness that we could perform comes close to your self-giving on the cross. Forgive us for wanting glory now, for seeking a temporary reward when you set the example of glory deeply rooted in the path of humility and suffering. Help us to pursue the deeper obedience that comes with right behavior that flows from pure motives. Give us a single-minded desire to will one thing—your glory. Amen

Let’s continue this conversation:

• In what context does giving appeal to your pride and desire for recognition?
• How are we guilty of “heaping up empty phrases” or praying “in the synagogues and at the street corners?”
• What challenges do you encounter with the discipline of fasting?