You have your reward

“Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.” - Matthew 6v2

There is nothing new about men who carry out their religious practices and rituals simply to be seen by others. The Pharisees did it by making a big show of their giving and looking for a pat on the back to affirm their supposed spirituality. We may not be as obvious as that – but if we are not careful we can get caught in the same trap of doing our religious practices for the purpose of getting recognition.

Jesus deals with this in a very clear manner. He says that if we give alms, or do anything else religious, to get men to see how spiritual we are, we already have our reward – it is done.

The question is a matter of faith. Are we willing to wait for God’s reward, or are we content to gain the immediate gratification of man’s praise?