Thanks for joining me for today's edition of our Daily Bread.

I'm Socheele Dixon.

I hope you will be as encouraged as I was by Christopher's story, which I had the privilege of sharing

in Secret Giver.

For Christopher, a physically disabled veteran, everyday activities had become more challenging,

took longer to finish and increased his pain. Still, he did his best to serve his wife and child.

Passers by would see him using a pushmower to cut his lawn every week.

One day, Christopher received a letter and an expensive riding lawnmower from an anonymous donor.

The secret giver satisfaction came through the privilege of helping someone in need.

Jesus doesn't say that all our giving should be in secret,

but he does remind us to check our motives when we give. He also said in Matthew 6,

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 honored by others, while God expects us to be

open-handed givers, he encourages us to avoid doing good deeds in front of people for the purpose

of receiving accolades, or special recognition. When we realize everything we have comes from God, we can be secret givers who don't need to pat our own backs or gain the admiration of others.

Our all-knowing giver of all good things delights in the genuine generosity of his people. Nothing beats the reward of his

approval.

The scripture reading I've selected for today is from Matthew chapter 6 verses 1 to 4.

Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your father in heaven.

So 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 honored by others. Truly, I tell you, they have received their reward in full.

But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing so that your giving may be in secret.

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