REV. DANIEL ROHAN No one but God need know of good deeds

The greatest temptation that arises to mar one's resolve to do God's will, the weapon the devil most often uses to destroy man's best intentions, is the desire to be recognized and praised by others.
Even when people are motivated by a real feeling of compassion, they often find themselves not wanting their good deeds to go unnoticed. Sometime charitable deeds are done for the wrong reason altogether: to be known as a philanthropist.
When we hear that the Lord says in Matthew 6:1, "Beware of practicing your alms before men, to be seen by them, otherwise you have no reward of your Father which is heaven," we understand that Christ is condemning those things that are done for show, because they are really not done for others, but for oneself.
How often do we see the philanthropists of our time photographed handing a check to the representative of some social agency, or worse, giving a basket of food to some needy person at Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Hypocrites
Surely this is what the Lord means when he says, "do not sound a trumpet before you, as hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have the glory of men." (Matthew 6:2) He calls these charitable individuals "hypocrites," a word that originally meant "actor."
One might object that it is not always possible to do a good deed without being seen, at least by the one who benefits from an act of generosity. But those who do their acts of almsgiving in order to be seen and praised by others, "have their reward." they get what they wanted, and that is all they get: "You have no reward from your Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 6:1.)
Genuine righteousness even tries to evade itself. When the Lord says in Matthew 6:3, "When you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing," he no doubt means that the truly righteous person -- one who has been truly converted to his way -- does his good deed spontaneously, responds readily to needs, does not even think of himself or herself as doing a good deed, and is probably surprised if he or she is praised and thanked for it.
He knows
Matthew 6:4 says, "That your alms may be in secret: and your Father which sees in secret himself shall reward you openly." God is present everywhere and knows not only every deed that is done but also the intention or motivation behind it. There will indeed be rewarded for true righteousness, and that reward will be given openly, but not in this life.
Even if our deeds are hidden from others in this world, when all are called before the dread judgment seat of Christ, they will be revealed.
XThe Rev. Daniel Rohan is pastor of St. Mark Orthodox Church in Liberty.