Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 

Matthew 5:23–24 NKJV 

When we think of the Sermon on the Mount, we might remember the verses that became known as the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3–12) or Jesus’s command to love our enemies (Matthew 5:43–48). But between these well-known passages of Scripture are two verses that can guide our giving and help us honor God and love our neighbor through our generosity.  

Does God care how we give?  

It might be tempting to think no. After all, when we’re giving money to our church or donating clothes to our local shelter, we’re doing something good. That’s all that matters—right?  

Through God’s Word, we learn that God does not only care about actions or appearances. His true concern is the state of our hearts (1 Samuel 16:7). This was a major theme in Jesus’s condemnation of the Pharisees and other religious leaders of his day. They followed God’s law, and so appeared righteous, but inwardly their hearts were still dead and empty of God’s love (Matthew 23:27–28). Until we encounter God’s truth and have our hearts transformed, even our best deeds are worthless (Isaiah 64:6).  

When we understand this principle from Scripture, we can see why Jesus shares this wisdom in Matthew 5:23–24. Giving your money, time, or skills as an offering to God is a good desire. But what if your motivation is not to show your love for God, but to be admired by others? Or what if you’re giving a gift to someone less fortunate with bitterness in your heart? Or, as we seen in Jesus’s example, what if you are making an offering while you’re at odds with someone?  

While we don’t offer our gifts to God on an altar today, Scripture’s command to live peacefully with everyone still applies (Romans 12:18). The next time you’re ready to drop a check in your church’s offering plate or click “Donate” on a beloved charity’s website, pause and consider your own heart. Are you giving gladly and out of love for God (2 Corinthians 9:7)? Or should you pause and pray for God’s wisdom to help you resolve a sinful attitude or strained relationship first? By putting Jesus’s teachings into practice, we can ensure that all our gifts to God are given with a pure heart.