Encouragement.
Formation.
Discernment.
Mission.

In a world that teaches us to grasp tightly to what we have, Jesus calls us to something radically different. As we continue exploring what it means to align our hearts with God’s kingdom, we discover that generosity isn’t just something Christians do—it’s who we are as children of the King.

What Does Jesus Say About Generosity?

In Matthew 6:2-4, Jesus addresses how we should approach giving: “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, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret will reward you.” Notice that Jesus doesn’t say “if you give”—He says “when you give.” Generosity is assumed as a natural part of kingdom living because it reflects the heart of our generous Father.

Why Is Generosity Central to Kingdom Life?

God Himself is the ultimate example of generosity. “‘For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life'” – John 3:16. Everything we have—life, mercy, grace, salvation, and daily provision—comes from His generous heart. The kingdom of God isn’t built on grasping but on giving. We become generous not to earn God’s love, but because He has already given us everything we need. This type of generosity must be rooted in gratitude, not guilt.

What Does True Generosity Look Like?

Jesus warns against performing generosity for recognition. The word “hypocrite” He uses was simply the word for “actor” in that time. Don’t be actors—don’t do good things just to be seen by others. True generosity happens in secret, where only the Father sees. This isn’t about God being a harsh judge waiting to catch us doing wrong. Rather, it’s about a loving Father who wants the very best life for us and is intimately engaged with us at every level.

Generosity Goes Beyond Money

While financial giving is important, generosity encompasses so much more. In our broken world, we’re all needy somewhere—maybe not financially, but we all have areas where we need others to step in and help.

Generosity might look like:

• Offering encouragement to someone who feels discouraged
• Being generous with your time—perhaps the most valuable thing we have
• Giving someone your full attention in a distracted world
• Extending patience when someone needs it most
• Really listening instead of waiting for your turn to speak
• Speaking words of hope and kindness
• Simply being present with someone in their need

How Can We Live Open-Handed Lives?

You can’t receive well with closed fists. Our tendency is to hang on tightly to everything we have, but this prevents us from both giving and receiving what God wants to flow through us. As the Apostle Paul wrote: “Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion” – 2 Corinthians 9:10-11.

God provides us with more than enough in every area so we can see people in need and move into those needs wherever we can.

What Motivates Kingdom Generosity?

The issue isn’t what we’re doing, but why we’re doing it. We can do good things for wrong reasons. Jesus is calling us to align our hearts with God’s heart—doing things for Him, not for recognition from others. This transforms generosity from a transaction into worship, trust, and alignment with our Father’s heart. It becomes about our relationship with Him rather than about being seen by others.

How Do We Develop Generous Hearts?

Generosity is ultimately a posture of the heart. It’s formed in the secret place with God, in that hidden life developed through time with Him. When we’re not sure what to do in a situation, choosing to be generous often reflects God’s heart. Our culture teaches self-protection and self-focus, but the kingdom turns us toward trust, compassion, and generosity. This life is really formed in secret—in our private relationship with God.

Life Application

This week, challenge yourself to practice hidden generosity. Do something kind without needing any recognition. Look for opportunities to be generous with your time, attention, patience, or presence—not just your money.

Ask yourself these questions:

• What do my current habits reveal about what I really value in life?
• How can I reflect the generosity of my Father to the world around me this week?
• Where am I holding too tightly to things instead of living open-handed?
• What needs do I see around me that I could step into generously?

Remember, everything we have belongs to God. He gives us more than enough so we can see people in need and move into those needs wherever possible. Generosity isn’t just something kingdom people do—it’s who we are as God’s children, reflecting His heart in every situation.

Steve Lawes is a Church Consultant and also provides coaching for pastors, churches, ministries and church planters.

Have you ever wondered what it truly means to live righteously before God? This ancient question has puzzled humanity for thousands of years, dating back to Job who asked, “How can mere mortals prove their innocence before God?” Today, we explore Jesus’ answer to this timeless question as we begin our journey through Matthew 6.

What Does It Mean to Be Righteous Before God?

For centuries, people have tried to answer this question through rule-following, sacrifices, and religious performance. They’ve desperately attempted to become more acceptable before God through external obedience and behavior modification. But Jesus reveals something much deeper. As Paul writes, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). This shows us that righteousness is not something we achieve—it’s something we receive. The righteousness Jesus speaks about in the Sermon on the Mount isn’t earned through performance. It’s a gift of grace that flows out of a transformed life and heart.

Why Does Heart Transformation Matter More Than Rule Following?

God doesn’t want outside-in change through behavior modification. He wants to transform us from the inside out through relationship with Him. While it often seems easier to just follow rules, this approach has serious problems:

• You’ll follow the rules you agree with
• You’ll find ways around the ones you don’t like
• You’ll judge others who aren’t following any of them

Instead, we’re called to something much deeper—a relationship with God that naturally transforms how we live.

Should Our Lives Be Visible or Hidden?

This might seem confusing. In Matthew 5, Jesus says to let your light shine before others. But in Matthew 6, He warns against practicing righteousness before others to be seen by them. Is this contradictory? Not at all. Jesus is clarifying something crucial about our motivation:

Matthew 5: Live in a way that points people to God

Matthew 6: Make sure you’re never pointing people toward yourself

The key question is: Who are we living for? Are we living for people’s approval, or are we living for God? We must live for God first, and then He empowers us to love and serve people properly.

What Does “Your Father Who Sees in Secret” Mean?

Jesus uses this beautiful phrase multiple times in Matthew 6:

• “So that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you” (v. 4)
• “When you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father who is unseen” (v. 6)
• “So that it won’t be obvious to others that you’re fasting, but only to your Father who is unseen” (v. 18)

This isn’t about God watching us as a harsh judge. He’s our loving Father who wants the most amazing life possible for us, both now and forever. He knows we live in a fallen world, and heart transformation is essential for experiencing the abundant life He offers.

How Does the Kingdom Life Form in Secret?

The hidden life with God is where transformation happens. This is where:

• Our character is formed
• Our motives are purified
• The light that shines publicly is developed privately

Jesus taught this principle clearly: “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me” (John 15:4). This abiding—spending time with the Father, yielding to the Holy Spirit—is where kingdom alignment begins. It’s not about image; it’s about relationship.

Why Is This Freedom, Not Pressure?

This approach to righteousness is actually liberating because:

• Transformation happens in relationship, not rule-following
• Change occurs in God’s presence, not under pressure to get everything right
• We can walk with Him in humility and honesty
• We don’t have to perform—we just abide

As Paul asked, “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10). Living for people’s approval is exhausting. But when we live for God first, He empowers us to love and serve others authentically.

Life Application

This week, challenge yourself to prioritize your hidden life with God. Set aside time each day where it’s just you and Him—no distractions, no performance, just relationship. This isn’t about striving or performing; it’s about abiding. Ask yourself these questions:

• Who am I really living for—God or people’s approval?
• What are my true motivations behind my actions?
• Am I taking time for quiet, unseen moments with the Father?
• How can I develop a more consistent practice of abiding in Him?

Remember, the kingdom life isn’t sustained by rule-following and performance. It’s sustained by abiding with the Father who sees in secret. When we get this relationship right, everything else flows naturally from His transforming presence in our lives.

Steve Lawes is a Church Consultant and also provides coaching for pastors, churches, ministries and church planters.