Many years ago, not long after Susan and I were married, we were at her parents’ house in Chattanooga and I overheard Susan’s mom say that their gutters needed cleaning. Wanting to be a good son-in-law, I found a ladder, climbed on the house, and started cleaning the gutters. I had been working quite a while without anyone knowing I was there, when I realized Susan’s mom had understated the truth… the gutters were packed with leaves and nuts and the job was taking far longer than I expected. I had reached the front of the house, above the driveway, when Susan’s dad walked outside. “Well,” I thought to myself, “at least Mr. Taylor will see what a good son-in-law I am.” But to my disappointment, he never looked up as he busied himself with something trivial down below. I made a little more noise than usual and I even coughed a couple of times, but Mr. Taylor did not hear or notice me at all. Determined to be seen, I started tossing leaves and nuts out on the driveway as far as I could. Finally, Mr. Taylor looked up and saw what a wonderful man his daughter had married. “Dana! You didn’t need to do that! But thanks for being so thoughtful. You are doing a great job!” Bashfully, I bowed my head and humbly pretended not to deserve such attention or praise. “Oh, it is nothing, Mr. Taylor.”
If Jesus would have appeared at the bottom of my ladder after I completed the job, He would have shaken his head and asked, “What did you do that for?” “What?” I would have asked… thinking He should have been just as proud of me as Mr. Taylor. “Why did you bring attention to yourself? It was a good thing to clean the gutters, but you messed up your reward.” “What reward?” I would have asked, not expecting any pay for my good deed. “Don’t you know our Father sees everything on earth you do? Have you not read that He loves to reward those who serve him without looking for credit? He would have given you something special… but, instead, you chose to get a compliment. Learn to do what’s right without being noticed.”
Pure motives… that’s what I want. But to have pure motives, I’ve got to get rid of self. Is Jesus my joy? Or am I looking for earthly rewards? “That other guy and his disciples are baptizing more people than you are!” someone reported to John the Baptist. In the common mode of competition, we might think, “Let’s double our efforts! What are they doing better than us? We’ve got to get back to number one!” But John didn’t think this way at all. “I must become less and He must become greater. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears his voice. That joy is mine! A man can receive only what is given him from heaven.” John understood what his life was all about.
Jesus taught that his Father is a rewarder. “When you give or fast or pray in order to be seen by men… well… that’s your reward. But if you fast without anyone knowing it; if you pray in a private place where no one even knows what you’re doing; if you give secretly in such a way that your left hand doesn’t know what your right hand is doing… then watch out. The Father will reward you in ways you can’t even imagine! He sees what you do in secret; He knows all motives; and He remembers everything. Trust me, you won’t be sorry you chose his rewards over man’s. Ask our Father for pure motives and look for the opportunities that come your way.” (see Matthew 6)
“When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” Luke 14:12-15