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Friend, the Father sees what is done in secret!

Matthew 6:1-4 Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, 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. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly. 

Yeshua (Jesus) now moves from the visible actions of Kingdom life into the hidden motives beneath them. He is not warning against doing good — He is warning against doing good as performance. The issue is not whether others see the deed. The issue is whether being seen has become the reason it was done.

In the Hebraic world, giving to the poor was never optional charity. It was tzedakah (צְדָקָה) — righteousness, justice, right covenant order. To give to the needy was an act of faithfulness to God's way of ordering life, because Israel's God is a Defender of the vulnerable. But Yeshua exposes something sobering: even righteous acts can be corrupted by the hunger for human recognition.

"Do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do." The word hypocrite described an actor wearing a mask, performing before an audience. Yeshua is warning against a good deed that turns mercy into theater. A gift may reach the poor, but if the heart is reaching for applause, something has already gone wrong.

The Kingdom does not only ask, "What did you do?" It asks, "Before whom did you do it?" Did I give because love moved me, or because I wanted to be noticed? Yeshua is not condemning public obedience — He is confronting performed righteousness, spiritual activity aimed at human praise.

Of such people He says, "They have their reward." A terrifying sentence. If the goal was applause, applause is all they receive. If the goal was reputation, reputation is their payment. Heaven owes nothing to the deed that was already paid for by human glory.

Then the Kingdom way: "Do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing." Give so the deed does not become a monument to yourself. Do not rehearse it inwardly, polish it for retelling, or let your own heart turn generosity into self-congratulation. This is the purity of tzedakah — righteousness without a trumpet, mercy without self-display, the open hand before man and the hidden heart before God.

Your Father who sees in secret will reward you — that is the anchor of the passage: your Father sees. He is El Roi (אֵל רֳאִי), the God who sees. Hagar discovered this in the wilderness, unseen by everyone but seen by God. The Father sees the quiet gift, the hidden sacrifice, the burden carried, the kindness no one praised or remembered.

In the Kingdom, the Father's gaze is enough. His applause is the only one we were ever meant to live for, and once we know that, the praise of men holds no power over us. Our reward comes from Him — so we are free to give, to serve, and to love without ever needing to manage an image of righteousness before others.

This is what it means to live a life of ashrei (אַשְׁרֵי) — blessed. Blessed is the one whose giving has been purified from performance, whose mercy flows without needing attention, and whose heart is content to be seen by the Father alone.

This does not mean every good deed must be hidden from every eye — Yeshua has already said, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." The difference is the aim. In Matthew 5, good works lead people to glorify the Father. Here, they are used to glorify the performer. The problem is not visibility. The problem is vanity.

Friend, heaven has already taken notice, and you carry a generosity that needs no trumpet to be real. The King has set you free to give from joy, to serve without needing to be seen, and to love simply because love is who you are. Every hidden gift, every quiet kindness, flows from the Father who made you this way — and the God who sees in secret is faithful; nothing done before His eyes is ever wasted.

Shabbat Shalom! Have a wonderful weekend resting in His presence. We’ll be back in your inbox first thing Monday morning!

Your family in the Lord with much agape love,

George & Baht Rivka (Baltimore, MD)

Editor's Note:I'm excited to announce that the first book in my new devotional series, Identity in Messiah Revealed, is now available on Amazon! This 60-day devotional is designed to help you renew your mind through God's Word, break free from false labels, and walk confidently in your God-given identity, purpose, and calling. Thank you to all who have prayed for this to come to fruition. Buy a few— they will make great gifts! Please share, and make sure to leave an Amazon review. (Amazon Paperback | Kindle )

Editor's Note: Come with us this October as we lead an unforgettable tour across Israel! Walk through the land of the Bible, experience its history and prophetic significance, and see Scripture come alive. Space is limited, so be sure to sign up before the trip fills up!