“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. Matthew 6:2
“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Matthew 6:5
When Not If
Some things are "assumed" in our walk with Christ.
Jesus is recorded in the 6th chapter of Matthew as saying:
"So when you give..."
"So when you pray..."
It's not if.
It's when!
Jesus has given us His life through the Holy Spirit to metamorphose us into a lifestyle of generosity.
With Jesus as our life, the most natural thing to do will be to pray as an ongoing conversation with Abba Father, followed by generous giving of time, talent, and treasure.
This is an outflow of His inflowing in us.
Ongoing conversation leads us to the stewardship of how, who, when, what, and where.
There is never a question of if.
In what ways are you struggling with a lifestyle of praying and giving?
Lord, move us from a mindset of if to when. Let's realize that everything flows from You, through You, and back to You. We've been given our life to be conduits of Your love to everyone we encounter. Amen