What Is the Reward for Doing Good?

What Is the Reward for Doing Good?

Posted on by Michele Morin

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 motive is unchanged by 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.

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.

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?

Holding You in the Light,

Sound no trumpet. Do good so that goodness may be done. Do it for the Father who sees in secret and him alone, for his greatness must be seen, and this is your reward.

This is part five of a series about Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount. You’ll find part one on the Beatitudes HERE, and part two on Salt and Light HERE. In week three, in light of Jesus’s warning to teachers, we wondered what motivates teachers to take on the heavy responsibility of communicating the truth. Then, in part four, Jesus answers the question, “What does it really mean to be righteous?” I invite you to join me each Sunday for the next few weeks as we sit under the teaching of Jesus together and consider how his words and his life should be impacting the way we live, work, think, and pray.

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Published by Michele Morin

Michele Morin is a Bible teacher, writer, reader, and gardener committed to the truth that women can become confident Christ-followers and students of God's Word. She has been married to an unreasonably patient husband for thirty-plus years, and together they have four married sons and a growing fleet of adorable grandchildren. Michele loves hot tea and well-crafted sentences, poems that stop her in her tracks, and days at the ocean with the whole family. She laments biblical illiteracy and advocates for the prudent use of “little minutes.” She blogs at Living Our Days, and you can connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.

16 thoughts on “What Is the Reward for Doing Good?”

  1. Wise words! As you know wise words are often tough but nevertheless need to be said. Before it was called ‘virtue signaling’ I lamely referred to it as being good for goodness sake. It is a human weakness for sure and a manifestation of our ‘toddler’ human nature, craving praise for being seen as good. I agree that social media has exacerbated this.  The problem, as I have experienced it, with saying tough words though, is that those who need to receive them the most, are the least likely to hear because they don’t/can’t hear.  But you have to keep on saying them anyway, hoping to reach the one. Luke 15:7

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  2. This can be a constant battle. Anywhere along the way of right motives and actions, the temptation to turn attention to self can creep in. Besides the things you mentioned, I try to remind myself that I can give or share nothing except what I have been given: it all comes from God, so all glory is his. I also made a list of applicable verses in the notes app on my phone when I need reminders to reorient my thoughts. Jen’s statement is striking.

    I think, too, of the opposite side of the issue (we always seem to go from one side of the pendulum to the other). My dear mother-in-law used to say that she had such a battle with spiritual pride that she stopped doing any kind of public service. That’s one way to handle it, a tempting one sometimes. But if we all did that, there would be no Bible study teachers, ladies’ ministry coordinators, etc.

    We so need God’s grace to have the right heart and perspective.

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    1. Wow, your mother-in-law was really taking literally the “if your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away” passage. But you’re right—who of us would be left to teach if we quit at the first sign of glory-stealing!

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  3. I’ve been pondering these teachings about humility lately. Seems like perhaps God is wanting me to see some truths about motives and pride. It’s so easy to fall into the trap of false humility and of prideful motives, and I think it’s something most of us need to be constantly mindful of, and perhaps especially those of us who serve in places where spotlights tend to shine. Like leading worship, which I’m involved in.

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  4. A gentle challenge in every line, Michelle. Social media, and yes, blogging, can way too easily become a trap, a search for the things of the heart that only Jesus can give us. I really appreciate your cautions here today as our opportunities and horizons continue to expand.

    And I never heard of a “virtue signaler” but wow, what a cautionary title. Yikes.

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