Secret Delivery / 暗中关怀
Dexu Xia
Secret Delivery
When you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Matthew 6:3
Today's Scripture & Insight: Matthew 6:1–4
A clear, glass vase with bell-shaped lilies of the valley, pink tulips, and yellow daffodils greeted Kim at her front door. For seven months, an anonymous believer in Jesus sent Kim beautiful bouquets from a local flower shop. Each monthly gift arrived with a note filled with scriptural encouragement and signed: “Love, Jesus.”
Kim shared photos of these secret deliveries on Facebook. The flowers gave her opportunity to celebrate an individual’s kindness and to acknowledge the way God expressed His love to her through His people. As she trusted Him through her battle with a terminal disease, every colorful blossom and handwritten note affirmed God’s loving compassion for her.
The sender’s anonymity reflects the heart motive Jesus encourages His people to adopt when giving. He warns against practicing righteous acts “to be seen” by others (Matthew 6:1). Good deeds are intended to be expressions of worship overflowing from hearts grateful for all God’s done for us. Highlighting our own generosity with the hope or expectation of being honored can take the focus off the Giver of all good things—Jesus.
God knows when we give with good intentions (v. 4). He simply wants our generosity motivated by love as we give Him the glory, the honor, and the praise.
暗中行善
你施舍的时候，不要叫左手知道右手所做的。-马太福音6章3节
金玲在与绝症对抗期间，每个月都会在门口看到一个装着百合花、粉红郁金香和黄色水仙花的玻璃花瓶。在过去的七个月里，一位匿名的基督徒每个月都会透过花店送鲜花给她，向她表达关怀。美丽的花束还附带一张纸条，上面写满鼓励她的圣经经文，署名为“爱你的，耶稣”。
金玲在脸书上分享这些花束的照片，藉此赞扬某个基督徒对她的关怀，并感谢上帝透过祂的子民表达祂的爱。当金玲靠着上帝对抗绝症时，每一朵色彩缤纷的花朵和亲笔所写的纸条，都肯定了上帝对她的慈爱与怜悯。
这位送花者不愿透露身分的行为，反映了耶稣鼓励祂的子民在行善时应有的心态。耶稣还警戒我们，不可故意让人“看见”自己行善（马太福音6章1节）。因行善是表达我们对上帝的敬拜与尊崇，是发自内心地感谢上帝为我们所做的一切。若过度强调自己慷慨的行为，并希望或期盼能被人看重，就是偏离焦点，因为一切美好的事物都是耶稣所赐予的。
当我们以纯正的动机行善时，上帝是知道的（4节）。上帝要我们凭着爱心慷慨地给予，将荣耀、尊贵和颂赞都归给祂！
主耶稣，感谢祢提醒我们，为别人付出是一种特权，
也是感谢祢赐给我们一切的最佳方法。
在这周内，你要如何暗中行善，让人看到耶稣的爱？
当人对你表示感谢时，你如何归荣耀给上帝？