Righteousness That Goes Deeper
“The excellence of our giving is not measured by visibility — it is measured by sincerity.”
— Tony Padgett, Brookfield Church of ChristExcellent Giving Begins With the Right Motive
Jesus condemns giving done for public recognition. Like the first-century hypocrites who “sounded a trumpet,” any giving driven by the desire for praise already has its full reward — and it stops there. Examine your heart: are you giving for God's glory or for your own?
Excellent Giving Reflects a Humble and Discreet Spirit
Don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Quiet, anonymous generosity honors God far more than publicized charity. As Brother Hall wisely said: “I'd rather give a miss than miss a give.” Look for unnoticed needs and meet them without fanfare.
Excellent Giving Trusts God for the True Reward
God sees what others overlook. No plaque, no headline, and no building with your name on it can rival the eternal reward of faithful generosity. The harvest we are truly seeking is eternal life — and the joy of one day hearing, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”
📝 Questions to Ask Before You Give
Am I seeking God's approval or people's praise?
Am I giving cheerfully — not reluctantly or under compulsion? (2 Cor. 9:7)
Am I focused on the impact of the giving, or on the recognition it will bring?
Have I prayed over this act of generosity before acting on it?
🎯 This Week's Challenge
Make one act of giving this week that no one will ever know about — no social media, no mention, no credit. Let your Father who sees in secret be the only audience. (Matthew 6:4)
Righteousness That Goes Deeper: Giving With Excellence
Sermon Title: Righteousness That Goes Deeper: Giving With Excellence Preacher: Tony Padgett, Brookfield Church of Christ Date Preached: March 8, 2026 YouTube Video: Watch the Full Sermon (Length: 41:14) Key Scriptures: Matthew 6:2–4; 2 Corinthians 9:6–7; Colossians 3:23–24; Proverbs 22:9; Galatians 6:9–10; Hebrews 6:10; Hebrews 11:6
Why Do You Give?
Have you ever dropped money in an offering plate and immediately wondered whether you gave enough — or whether anybody noticed? Or maybe you have been on the other side, quietly helping someone and hoping no one would make a big deal of it. The act of giving seems simple, yet Jesus devoted pointed words to it in the Sermon on the Mount. He was not asking whether His followers gave. He was cutting straight to the heart of how and why they gave. That question is just as sharp today as it was two thousand years ago on that hillside.
Point 1: Excellent Giving Begins with the Right Motive
Tony opened with a vivid picture of first-century religious leaders sounding trumpets in the streets to announce their charitable giving. Jesus called it what it was — hypocrisy. The Greek word for hypocrite literally means actor, someone performing for an audience rather than living out a genuine calling.
"Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 6:1, ESV)
Tony pressed the congregation with a direct challenge: examine your motivation before you give. Ask yourself plainly — am I seeking God's approval, or people's praise? He was direct: "God is not impressed with the size of the gift if the motive is self-glorification."
Drawing on his decades as a professional fundraiser, Tony noted that the largest donations he ever received were often anonymous. He shared the story of a $785,000 anonymous gift at the Greater Chicago Food Depository — no name, no plaque, no recognition. Just generosity flowing from a sincere heart. That is the standard Jesus sets.
Three Practical Steps for Motive-Checking:
- Examine your heart before you give — pray and ask whether this act is for God's glory or your own.
- Develop a pre-giving prayer habit — putting yourself in the right mindset before every act of generosity.
- Focus on the impact, not the recognition — think about the person helped, not the praise received.
Point 2: Excellent Giving Reflects a Humble and Discreet Spirit
Jesus' instruction in Matthew 6:3 is startling in its simplicity: "Do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing." Tony unpacked this not as a prohibition against ever sharing a story of generosity, but as a guard against the impulse to publicize our giving for status.
He brought it home with a practical framework: praying about where to give, doing your due diligence on charitable organizations, and staying alert to unnoticed needs in your own congregation and community. He cited Proverbs 22:9 — "Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor" — as the portrait of the kind of giver God honors.
Tony also addressed a common rationalization: "I pay taxes, so I've done my part." He pushed back firmly. Taxes support civil infrastructure. Personal giving flows from compassion — and the Bible calls us to both. Galatians 6:9–10 reminds us: "Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, especially to those who are of the household of faith."
One of the most memorable lines of the message came from a quote Tony attributed to Brother Hall: "I'd rather give a miss than miss a give." Even if someone misuses a gift, God sees your heart and your motive — He will not hold the misuse against the giver.
Point 3: Excellent Giving Trusts God for the True Reward
The third and climactic point brought the entire message into sharp focus. Jesus promises in Matthew 6:4 that "your Father who sees in secret will reward you." Tony reminded the congregation that this reward is not always immediate, visible, or earthly. Sometimes the reward is a spiritual blessing. Sometimes it is simply — and profoundly — the joy of knowing you honored God.
He referenced 2 Corinthians 9:6–7: "Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."
The harvest we are really seeking, Tony said, is eternal life. No plaque, no building with your name on it, no headline — those rewards are finished the moment the ink dries. But faithful, humble, God-directed giving produces works that follow us into eternity.
Tony concluded with the heart of the sermon: "The excellence of our giving is not measured by visibility — it's measured by sincerity."
Barry's Personal Connection
Having preached at Brookfield for 23 years, I have watched this congregation give quietly and consistently through drought years and flush years alike. Tony's message names something I have seen in these pews: people who give not because they are begged to, but because they are genuinely devoted to God. That kind of culture does not happen by accident. It is built one faithful, anonymous act at a time. If you are newer to Brookfield, look around you — you are surrounded by people who already know this lesson. Let them inspire you.
🎯 This Week's Challenge
This week, I challenge you to make one act of giving that no one will ever know about. It does not have to be money — it can be time, a meal, a phone call, or a practical need you quietly meet for someone in your congregation or neighborhood. Before you act, pray over it. While you act, resist any impulse to mention it. Afterward, sit with the quiet joy of knowing that your Father in heaven saw it. Let Matthew 6:4 become real in your experience this week, not just in your theology.
💬 Small Group Discussion Questions
Tony said the question Jesus raises is not whether we give, but how and why we give. What does your giving pattern — in time, money, or service — reveal about your current motivations? How honest are you willing to be about that with your group?
In Matthew 6:3, Jesus says not to let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Is there a difference between sharing a story of generosity to encourage others versus sharing it to build your own reputation? How do you discern the difference in your own heart?
Tony quoted 2 Corinthians 9:6–7 and the law of sowing and reaping. In spiritual terms, what does it mean to "sow bountifully"? What keeps most Christians from doing so?
Galatians 6:9–10 tells us to "do good to everyone, especially to those of the household of faith." How does your congregation practically balance caring for its own members with reaching outward to the broader community? Where might you personally grow in that balance?
Hebrews 6:10 says God is "not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name." How does this promise change the way you think about giving in seasons when you see no visible fruit or recognition?
Giving God the Glory
Tony closed the sermon with a vision that is worth holding onto all week: "I want to do things that follow me... I want God to say, 'Well done, thou good and faithful servant.'" That is the finish line. Not a plaque on the wall. Not a headline. Not even a thank-you note. Just the quiet, certain knowledge that God saw — and was pleased.
Watch the full sermon at the link above, and share it with someone who needs the reminder that real generosity is never really invisible.
Join us for worship at Brookfield Church of Christ. Visit BarrysBureau.org for more resources to help you grow in Christ.
Giving With Excellence
"The excellence of our giving is not measured by visibility — it is measured by sincerity."
— Tony Padgett, Brookfield Church of ChristGiving With Excellence
Category Sort • Matthew 6:2–4
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