RELIGIOUS SHOWMANSHIP OFFERS NO REWARD (PART 1)

PROF. BEN ONYEUKWU (REV.)

NCE(Eng.) ND/HD (Journalism); BA (Hons) MA, PhD.

Call: +2348037346939  E-mail: professorbenonyeukwu@yahoo.com

RELIGIOUS SHOWMANSHIP OFFERS NO REWARD (PART 1)

THE “PLAY-ACTOR” GIVING

“…When you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do…But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing”…, (Matthew 6:2-4).

INTRODUCTION:

“Be careful not to do your acts of righteousness before men, to be seen by them”… remains the Christian guide to religious acts of righteousness, (Matthew 6:1). In the series, Jesus talks of the Christian modes of “giving”, “praying” and “fasting”, and in turn harps on the rewardlessness of such acts, where rules are violated, (verses 2-18). Similarly, the writer in an effort to put forth an inspired exposition on the topics under review, begins the part (1) of the series with what he calls, “the play-actor giving” in which he tries to figuratively describe the way people make a big show of their acts of giving. To be specific, this refers to those who fake being pious. The scripture shows that they have “their reward in full”, (verse 2). In other words, the honour they receive from people is all the reward they get. So, notice that:

SELF-GLORIFYING GIVING OFFERS NO REWARD

What gain does one hopes to get if one’s act of giving does not offer one the father’s heavenly reward? Is it not meaningless to give, at all, if there is no reward from the Lord? Why, then, do people exhibit unbiblical style of giving as a way of drawing attention to themselves? Are these individuals really knowledgeable of the stipulations of God’s Word? Or, are they in deliberate abuse of the Holy Writ for selfish reasons? These and more are questions that bubble in the mind of the writer as he watches helplessly the “giving exhibitions” of some preachers on Cable Network, Satellite Television, the Internet, the Newspaper Medium etc. which are purportedly directed to the needy, may be, to attract the unsuspecting donors who see the church as a good humanitarian channel. In Church services also, the “show your gift” method of giving is becoming the order of the day, perhaps, aimed at inducing people to give more than they wish. Without compromise, this is another form of “Obtaining By Trick” (OBT), and contrary to the teaching of Jesus, which shows the rewardlessness of such a style of giving, (Matthew 6:2-4). Based on the foregoing, please learn to:

(1)        Reject trumpet blowing, in giving, (verse 2);

(2)        Resist the self – glorifying style of giving, (verse 2);

(3)        Give secretly, as a way of obtaining reward from the Lord, (verses 3-4), etc.

GIVING TO THE NEEDY REQUIRES NO PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT

The expression, …”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 honoured by men” strikes a big contrast to what is obtainable in some religious quarters today, (Matthew 6:2).

In the events of such unscriptural way of giving, especially to the needy, one begins to wonder if such religious groups have anything in common with the Christianity founded on the precepts of the Bible. If all is well with the Christian Church doctrinally, why the daily radio, television and newspaper publications of the slightest help extended to the less-privileged in society, against the word of God? Why the television-screen display of gifts to the motherless homes, which biblically should be kept anonymous?

Why the radio announcements of scholarships to the indigent students in the neighbourhood? Why the newspaper exhibition of photographs which show the smallest gifts to members of the same family? etc. In fact, an observant follower of the Christian faith does not need a prophet to know that something is wrong with the Church, in terms of the present day style of giving. It is this concern that stirs the writer to note that:

(1)        Only the hypocrites announce their gifts to the needy, (verse 2);

(2)        They do so to attract honour from the people, (verse 2).

(3)        Such a style of giving does not attract any reward from the Lord, (verse 2) etc.

 

ONLY SECRET GIVING ATTRACTS GOD’S REWARD

…”When you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing”… is an emphasis that one should not call attention to one’s giving. This is the only way to attract the attention and reward of our Heavenly Father, (Matthew 6:3-4). But, when reverse is the case, nothing comes as a reward from the Lord. How wasteful therefore, is one’s giving, when one fails to take cognizance of this fact? Giving is an investment that requires profits in return (Luke 6:38). However, when one’s giving becomes ego-centric, one loses the divine benefit it offers. This means that the big church donor who gives to be noticed loses a great deal of blessings, without knowing it. The pastor who is in the habit of motivating people to make public their gifts, blindly wastes the resources of many. The politician whose stock in trade is giving for political reasons is never in the line-up of those that God blesses for giving, etc. This signals that God only rewards the:

(1)        Efforts of those who honour Him in giving, (verses 2-4);

(2)        Donors who keep to the principles of His Word in giving, (verses 2-4);

(3)        Individuals who shun showmanship in rendering helps to the needy, (verses 2-4), etc.

In conclusion, let it be noted that it gladdens the heart of God when people bless the needy in society. But, when such an act of righteousness becomes self-glorifying, God is not pleased, and this displeasure He demonstrates by withholding the blessing that goes with giving, (Matthew 6:2). YOU HAVE BEEN TOLD.