Zip Your Lips

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW

ZIP YOUR LIPS

Matt 6:2-4

2 "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 men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

NIV

Now, let us deal with one of the three specific areas of the Christian life that Jesus expanded, or brought into the New Covenant. We think this is different that bringing the tithe into the storehouse as, in general, the tithe usually has nothing about giving to the needy. Usually, the tithe goes to pay the salaries of the church staff, some of which can become large. One church we attended had six paid pastors, several part-time paid assistant to the pastors, plus all the secretary and janitorial staff. The budget was as large as the church. Nevertheless, no matter the size of the church or its budget, the tithe seldom see any needy. This is simply people helping people. It may be that some churches have programs to help the needy, or support faith-based organizations that help the needy. However, what ever the way we help the needy, whether that is through directly giving them money, or some of their physical needs, such as clothing and food, or whatever other material needs they may have, we are not to announce it. There is the center of it all, there can be no announcing how we give to the needy. How ever we give it has to be done secretly so not even our right hand knows what our lieft hand is doing. But we want people to know that we do this or that for the needy. Some how we might think that in the case of a church, someone feels the need to inform all the congregation how the church is doing in its giving to the needy. Maybe that is different than us personally giving to their needs. If we are so impressed by the Spirit to give to the needy personally, then not a single other person in the world must know about it, except our spouses, of course. We could take this to apply toward our giving at church, in the tithe or just a gift above our tithe. Again, usually we expect someone to keep a record of our giving so we can have it for our taxes, getting our reward though a write off. But could this principle of giving apply to that tithe, which some of which does go to the needy. So then, how do we keep that a secret? Tithe in cash would be the only way no one would ever know who it came from. However, we cannot be sure that it applies to the tithe, but just to our personal giving to an individual in need. Either way, it is good not to boast about any giving, however that happens. In essence, Jesus is saying zip your lips.