Matthew 6:2-4 New Living Translation (NLT)
2 When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. 3 But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. 4 Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
Today it is so easy to let a lot of people know what you are doing or not doing. Just go to your Facebook account and start typing (or what ever social media site you use). Then the ones who receive your message may decide to share your good deed and everything else with all their friends. Pretty soon it has gone around the world in about 15 minutes.
I have seen posts like this: “I am going out to buy Christmas gifts for a family whose kids would not have any Christmas otherwise. Pray that I find lots of sales!!” Then almost immediately there are the responses: “Oh what a wonderful person you are!” “How nice of you to do that for that family!” “God bless you as you go out to find the right gifts!” and etcetera.
According to scripture (above) that is all the blessings and praise that person will receive. They won’t get a special jewel in their crown for telling everyone they know what they are doing. (“I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get.”)
I don’t know why people are this way except they need to have praise from men (people in general). I think it is they don’t know what Jesus has to say about it (Matthew 6:2-4). I saw and heard of this happening, maybe not a lot, but enough times in my own former church that it just made me cringe. Even before I left. I don’t mind someone showing a gift they are buying for a special person in their life but to brag and call attention to buying for a family who cannot afford to buy for their kids is just against Bible Scripture. (“Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.”) It does not or should not matter if anyone else knows you did this kind deed.
The Pharisees drew attention to themselves and would stop in the middle of the street and suddenly start to pray so they would get attention of those around them. In Pentecostalism this would be akin to suddenly bursting out in tongues in the middle of a busy mall or store. Just to get attention. Or jumping up in the middle of your place of work doing the same. Jesus did not have kind words to those he called hypocrites. Would you not rather please Jesus than man?
By the way Jesus is very much easier to please than any man or woman on earth. And that is the Truth!
Oh my goodness, I need so much help in understanding social media postings of a relative about all the good he does, under the guise of being humble and spreading a positive message. I see it as attention seeking and narcissistic to a most severe degree! He is not only a close relative and a co-owner of my husband’s business, but also a pastor of an apostolic / Pentecostal Church, I had to unfollow him on Facebook, because I felt like I was constantly in an “angry, judging” mode, which brings me to question my character and why I let it bother me so much. When I speak to my husband, he gets very defensive (this person is his nephew) and say that it’s just how young people do things these days (everything has to be on social media.).
Back Story>>>
Most of my husband’s relatives are in this church, from which I have always felt judged and been told I am unsaved. They have even had our names written on an easel up on stage, in front of the church with all their friends and family members listed who need to be prayed for their salvation, including ours. We are listed as backsliders, divorced, members of other churches, married to catholic, etc. I have always expected more from them since they feel they have the right to determine I am unsaved because I don’t go to their church.
I just felt the need to get this off my chest. I know this blog post is 2 yrs old, but I was looking for something to help me understand how bragging / church go together, and your website came up! I am familiar with Matthew 6, 2-4.
I am glad you found our multi-author blog. If I am understanding correctly, you are not Apostolic (Oneness Pentecostal) and your husband’s family is. Is your husband part of the church, too? If you have never followed their steps of salvation, that is why they peg you as unsaved. Missing any of them causes a person to be lost in their eyes- but not in God’s. Besides their initial ‘three steps,’ they also add a bunch of ‘holiness standards’ that must be followed as well. So it doesn’t matter to them if you love God with everything within you, you will always be seen as not saved unless you do what they teach. Does your husband believe all of that?
A pastor who feels the need to list all their good deeds for the world to see, in my opinion has a problem. Unfortunately, some ministers and pastors are narcissists. People who must brag about the good they do have as their only reward the praise of people. I don’t care whether he is young or old, being in the ministry he is supposed to have the heart of a servant and that doesn’t include boasting of everything done for people. Personally, since it bothers your husband, I wouldn’t share your thoughts on his behavior in this with him. You don’t need to have a strain placed on t your relationship because of what his nephew does.
Thank you for your response. You are right about not putting stress on my husband. I try. This nephew has our name and represents the company. The company does a lot of good in the community, but the press always has to be called, and everything is plastered on social media. Between his personal postings, and representing his church and company, it’s just a constant barrage of his goodness and heart to serve..I’ve heard him use that phrase a lot.
Right now, we do not attend a church. I am a former catholic, and my husband grew up in the Pentecostal church but left long before I met him. As he transitioned into a young adult, he wanted to play sports in high school. That was a big NO back then. There was also an issue with a traveling preacher who, during a revival at his church, preached the sin of wearing gold jewelry, passed a basket around and swooped up everyone’s watches and rings. My mother in law gave her precious wedding ring to this man, never to be seen again. My husband’s dad had died years before (she was left with 6 kids.) There are other stories.. many ….. but in the end, they always say, unless we are baptized in water and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost (and follow all the rules) we are NOT saved.
I have always thought there’s many ways to receive grace, and we are saved by that grace through our faith and personal relationship with God.
What are all the rules???? Ten Commandments yes what else?