"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. Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 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. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you."

Here's something incredible to think about: kids don't struggle with generosity the same way adults do. They'll give away their lunch, share their toys, ask their parents to buy things for their friends.
Why? Because they understand something we forget: everything they have came freely from their parents, so they freely give it away. They're not calculating worth or keeping score because they know mom and dad will provide again tomorrow.

Jesus points to this same principle when he warns us about giving for approval. The Pharisees would literally sound trumpets when they gave during feast times, gathering the poor around so everyone could see their generosity. They needed the applause because their giving was about building their reputation, not responding to their Father's heart.

But here's the hard question: maybe you don't give for applause. Maybe the approval of others doesn't start your giving. So let me ask you this: does the disapproval of others stop your giving? When an organization doesn't spend money the way you think they should, when the church doesn't prioritize what you would prioritize, when your gift isn't acknowledged the way you expected, do you pull back? Because that's still measuring your obedience by human approval, just on the other end.

When you operate as an accepted child, your giving flows from gratitude. You know that everything in your hands, whether it's money, time, or talents, came from your Father. Freely you received, so freely you give. You're not trying to impress anyone or prove anything.
You're just responding to a generous Father who has never failed to provide for you. And here's the beautiful truth: your Father sees what you give in secret, and that's the only audience that matters.

Tomorrow we'll look at how this same principle transforms our prayer life when we stop performing and start communing.

Give something today in complete secret. It could be money, time helping someone, or using a talent to bless another person. Make sure absolutely no one knows except you and God. Notice how it feels different when approval isn't even a possibility.