Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’
before men, to be seen by them.
—Matthew 6:1
The Pharisees had a ravenous appetite for human praise: “they loved praise from men more than praise from God” (Jno. 12:43).
Compassion, mercy, and generosity are godly traits, but become contaminated when done from pat-on-the-back motives. As Spurgeon put it, “To stand with a penny in one hand and a trumpet in the other is the posture of hypocrisy.”
Giving is tricky business; acts of generosity easily become acts of fanfare. Jesus said that when people give to be honored by men “they have received their reward in full”—the praise received is full payment for the gift given. Having God as your only witness should be enough.
Those who do the most good
usually make the least noise.