When you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. (Matthew 6:2) “Don’t blow your own horn” is a slang saying with which we are familiar. It means, don’t draw attention to yourself, your good deeds, and your own accomplishments. We all have worked out subtle ways of letting people know whom we know, what we’ve done, and where we’ve been. We drop names, places, and possessions in our conversations. Jesus uses a symbolic image: “When you give alms, sound no trumpet before you!” A trumpet was used to call people to worship or to announce the times of prayer. Jesus had a sense of humor. His listeners could picture a man on the way to the Temple to give alms with a trumpeter going before him to announce to everyone that he was on his way to be morally generous. Jesus was concerned about motive. He knew that our real motive for benevolence could be exposed, cleansed, and healed only if we give without any concern for reward. When Christ’s love is our only motive, then the giving is itself our reward. Who needs more than that? Any note blown from our own horn for our own glory is flat!
Posted on: Thu, 14 Aug 2014 02:57:40 +0000
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