To be Seen of Men (part 2) - Acts of Mercy
Introduction. When tragedy strikes, whether to friends, family, brethren, or even strangers, the hearts of the truly godly feel both pity and compassion forming without any thought. Because we “Love our neighbor as ourselves” our hearts immediately fill with empathy and sympathy for those facing calamities. These “natural affections” have led us to Jesus’ conclusion: “whatever you want men to to do you, do to them.” Hence, this is a vital part of our growth as a Christian and should be carefully monitored!
Because compassion and mercy are a way of life for the spiritually mature, the Holy Spirit took these emotions and created a word to describe the acts we do when we are moved by them. Since we don’t have a word like this in English, we will need to take their concept and understand it when using the English words we have.
When Jesus said when you do your “alms,” (ASV) “charitable deeds,” (KJV) or “give to the poor” (NASB, ESV), He literally meant when you are acting on your emotions of pity, compassion, empathy and mercy. The Scriptures reveal there is a clear progression in our hearts. First, like the priest and Levite in the parable of the good Samaritan, some have lost the compassion and mercy necessary to act. What would cause them to act like this? The most likely explanation is that they didn’t care enough to pay the price to stop and help. Multitudes today have been raised with so much selfishness it has created narcissism. They can’t even see that others have needs because they are so caught up in themselves, they feel nothing for others.
The next step in this progression would be those who feel the emotions and even the good intentions to do something, but they never act upon them. They see the need, feel compassion and mercy, but as life moves on, so do they. By not moving to action, they soon forget the emotions and never do anything to help. James captured this when he said: “If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?” (Jas. 2:14-17). Although many believe the feelings of compassion and mercy alone are commendable, if they do not move to action there has been no alms and there is no profit to the feelings.
Jesus revealed the importance of all this in two of His final parables. As He spoke of the wise and foolish virgins and the talents, He did not leave the application to us, but immediately described the eternal separation of disciples based solely on “acts of mercy” or “alms!”
Each of these was an “alms” because they were acts of compassion and mercy. Those who are hungry, thirsty, a stranger, naked, sick, or in prison deserve compassion and acts of mercy. Jesus made this a critical dividing point by using “me.” When asked how they did it for Him, He replied: “inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” So, Jesus placed the needs of His church first, and acts of mercy and compassion in the church are a critical part of our reward. Yet it was not limited to the church because Paul added later, “as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.” (Gal. 6:10).
Jesus led the way in doing acts of compassion and mercy:
In Acts, we see these acts of mercy and compassion on open display. First, in the early days of the church, they “sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need,” and “Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, ... and they distributed to each as anyone had need.” (Acts 2:45; 4:34-35). When Peter had opportunity, he gave alms to the lame man at the beautiful gate (Acts 3:2-5), and Barnabas sold his property and brought the entire proceeds to the apostles to distribute.
Dorcas clearly took all this to heart and was described as a “woman full of good works and almsdeeds which she did” (Acts 9:36). It included both the emotions and the deeds. When Cornelius “gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always,” his “prayers and alms” had “gone up for a memorial before God” (Acts 10:1-4). There is no doubt this is important!
Jesus added one more component to the act of acting on our emotions of mercy and giving aid in His Sermon on the Mount. Not only must we have the proper feelings and allow those feelings to move us to action, but we must also be aware of another grave threat to our giving alms that could destroy its value and remove any hope of reward:
“Sound a trumpet” is an idiom for “look at me!” It includes anything we could devise to draw attention to ourselves. We need to see this desire as a temptation to flee. Everyone enjoys praise, and it is often a temptation to reveal our good deeds to others in order elevate ourselves in their sight. But Jesus warned us of the extreme danger of this temptation.
Any attempt to use an act of mercy and compassion to elevate ourselves taints the act and destroys its value, making us hypocrites. By seeking the praise of men in an act of service to God, we become “play actors” to Him. It taints the action just as poison taints food. No matter how sincere the initial pity and compassion, if we seek the praise of men, it destroys its value completely and leaves us with only the label of a hypocrite who is acting a part and not genuine in his actions.
True righteousness demands more of a disciple than just doing the right things. They must also be done with the right emotions, motives and intent. The giving of alms must be done exclusively for God, motivated by genuine mercy toward the plight of the one in need. Those truly aware of this danger seek to even keep the left hand unaware of what the right hand is doing (a Jewish idiom for doing everything possible to keep it a secret). Jesus promised God would openly reward those who fulfill these conditions, but if seeking the praise of men, God will give no reward.
There is one complication in all this. Some acts of mercy can’t be hidden. When Peter healed the lame man, everyone knew. Dorcas’s good deeds became known because “all the widows stood by him weeping, showing the tunics and garments which Dorcas had made.” (Acts 9:39). It is a similar principle to the one set forth in Proverbs: “Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; A stranger, and not your own lips.” (Pr. 27:2)
Conclusion. It all comes down to motivation. We must also ask ourselves: “Am I doing this to bring praise to God or to myself?”
Because compassion and mercy are a way of life for the spiritually mature, the Holy Spirit took these emotions and created a word to describe the acts we do when we are moved by them. Since we don’t have a word like this in English, we will need to take their concept and understand it when using the English words we have.
When Jesus said when you do your “alms,” (ASV) “charitable deeds,” (KJV) or “give to the poor” (NASB, ESV), He literally meant when you are acting on your emotions of pity, compassion, empathy and mercy. The Scriptures reveal there is a clear progression in our hearts. First, like the priest and Levite in the parable of the good Samaritan, some have lost the compassion and mercy necessary to act. What would cause them to act like this? The most likely explanation is that they didn’t care enough to pay the price to stop and help. Multitudes today have been raised with so much selfishness it has created narcissism. They can’t even see that others have needs because they are so caught up in themselves, they feel nothing for others.
The next step in this progression would be those who feel the emotions and even the good intentions to do something, but they never act upon them. They see the need, feel compassion and mercy, but as life moves on, so do they. By not moving to action, they soon forget the emotions and never do anything to help. James captured this when he said: “If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?” (Jas. 2:14-17). Although many believe the feelings of compassion and mercy alone are commendable, if they do not move to action there has been no alms and there is no profit to the feelings.
Jesus revealed the importance of all this in two of His final parables. As He spoke of the wise and foolish virgins and the talents, He did not leave the application to us, but immediately described the eternal separation of disciples based solely on “acts of mercy” or “alms!”
- “to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’” (Mt. 25:34-36)
- “to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’” (Mt. 25:41-43)
Each of these was an “alms” because they were acts of compassion and mercy. Those who are hungry, thirsty, a stranger, naked, sick, or in prison deserve compassion and acts of mercy. Jesus made this a critical dividing point by using “me.” When asked how they did it for Him, He replied: “inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” So, Jesus placed the needs of His church first, and acts of mercy and compassion in the church are a critical part of our reward. Yet it was not limited to the church because Paul added later, “as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.” (Gal. 6:10).
Jesus led the way in doing acts of compassion and mercy:
- “He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick."
- "And Jesus, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things."
- “When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, ‘Do not weep.’ Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, ‘Young man, I say to you, arise.’” (Mt. 14:14 Lk. 7:13-15; Mk. 6:34; see also Mt. 20:34; Mk. 1:41; 8:2)
In Acts, we see these acts of mercy and compassion on open display. First, in the early days of the church, they “sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need,” and “Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, ... and they distributed to each as anyone had need.” (Acts 2:45; 4:34-35). When Peter had opportunity, he gave alms to the lame man at the beautiful gate (Acts 3:2-5), and Barnabas sold his property and brought the entire proceeds to the apostles to distribute.
Dorcas clearly took all this to heart and was described as a “woman full of good works and almsdeeds which she did” (Acts 9:36). It included both the emotions and the deeds. When Cornelius “gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always,” his “prayers and alms” had “gone up for a memorial before God” (Acts 10:1-4). There is no doubt this is important!
Jesus added one more component to the act of acting on our emotions of mercy and giving aid in His Sermon on the Mount. Not only must we have the proper feelings and allow those feelings to move us to action, but we must also be aware of another grave threat to our giving alms that could destroy its value and remove any hope of reward:
- “When therefore you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and streets, that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing that your alms may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will repay you.” (Mt. 6:2-4).
“Sound a trumpet” is an idiom for “look at me!” It includes anything we could devise to draw attention to ourselves. We need to see this desire as a temptation to flee. Everyone enjoys praise, and it is often a temptation to reveal our good deeds to others in order elevate ourselves in their sight. But Jesus warned us of the extreme danger of this temptation.
Any attempt to use an act of mercy and compassion to elevate ourselves taints the act and destroys its value, making us hypocrites. By seeking the praise of men in an act of service to God, we become “play actors” to Him. It taints the action just as poison taints food. No matter how sincere the initial pity and compassion, if we seek the praise of men, it destroys its value completely and leaves us with only the label of a hypocrite who is acting a part and not genuine in his actions.
True righteousness demands more of a disciple than just doing the right things. They must also be done with the right emotions, motives and intent. The giving of alms must be done exclusively for God, motivated by genuine mercy toward the plight of the one in need. Those truly aware of this danger seek to even keep the left hand unaware of what the right hand is doing (a Jewish idiom for doing everything possible to keep it a secret). Jesus promised God would openly reward those who fulfill these conditions, but if seeking the praise of men, God will give no reward.
There is one complication in all this. Some acts of mercy can’t be hidden. When Peter healed the lame man, everyone knew. Dorcas’s good deeds became known because “all the widows stood by him weeping, showing the tunics and garments which Dorcas had made.” (Acts 9:39). It is a similar principle to the one set forth in Proverbs: “Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; A stranger, and not your own lips.” (Pr. 27:2)
Conclusion. It all comes down to motivation. We must also ask ourselves: “Am I doing this to bring praise to God or to myself?”
- “having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. (1Pet. 2:9).