Episode 102 — Matthew 6:1–4 — Giving in Secret

Hey everybody, welcome to the podcast, I’m Nick and it’s fabulous to be here with you today.
Today is April 12.
Each day, we follow a simple rhythm: Slow Down, Read, Notice, Reread, Meditate, Respond, and Exercise.
Let’s begin.


Slow Down
Jesus is here. He’s sitting in your favorite spot, waiting for you to join Him.
You may have a million things on your mind, but for these few moments, set them aside. Relax. Calm your body.
Close your eyes. Take a deep breath in, then slowly release it.
As you inhale, whisper: “Jesus, You see what no one else sees.” 
As you exhale, pray: “Let me live for Your eyes alone.”
Repeat this three times, then rest in His presence.

Read
Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. 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. But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.  (Matthew 6:1–4, NLT)


Notice
What stands out to you in this passage? Is there a word or phrase that catches your attention? Hold it in your heart for a moment.

Reread
Hear these words again, not as a guilt trip about your motives, but as a gentle invitation to discover the quiet joy of living for an audience of One.
  
Meditate
Jesus isn’t saying that public generosity is always wrong. He’s diagnosing a heart condition: doing good in order to be seen doing good. The hypocrites He describes aren’t fake in their giving — they really are giving. But the applause of others is what they’re really after, and when they get it, that’s all they get.
There’s something deeply freeing about giving in secret. When no one else knows, you can’t be doing it for anyone’s approval. It’s just you and God — and that, Jesus says, is exactly where the real reward lives.
We live in a culture that practically demands we document and share our generosity. The pressure to perform goodness publicly is real and constant. Jesus invites us to resist that pressure — to do good quietly, humbly, and let God be the one who sees and responds.
Take a few moments to reflect on this question:
When I give — my time, my money, my energy — am I most aware of God’s presence, or of who else might be watching?

Respond
Father, You see everything — including the parts of my giving that are motivated by wanting to be seen. I don’t want applause to be my reward. I want You. Teach me the quiet joy of secret generosity — of giving freely, humbly, and without needing anyone to notice. Let Your pleasure be enough.

Exercise
The rush of life will meet you again when you leave this sacred place—but you can carry this moment into your day by forming new habits.
Habit: Secret Generosity 
— Do One Anonymous Act of Kindness Today
Today’s habit is simple and joyful: do one act of kindness today that no one will know about but you and God.
Pay for a stranger’s coffee. Leave an encouraging note without signing your name. Quietly take care of something for someone without telling them it was you. Give a donation without posting about it. The specific act matters far less than the spirit behind it — doing good with no audience and no expectation of recognition.
Notice how it feels. There’s often a particular lightness and joy in secret generosity that public giving can’t quite produce — because it’s purely between you and God.
Before you do it, pray: “Father, this one’s just for You. Let it bless someone and let it shape me.”

I have one ask of you before you go, could you please share this podcast with one person today? One person at a time will grow this podcast to help more people walk with Jesus.
That’s your two minutes with Jesus for today.
Now, take what you’ve heard…share it and live it.
Until next time, keep slowing down, keep listening, and keep walking with Jesus.