“But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.”
–Matthew 6:3-4
Ebed-Melech. Ever heard of him? He is mentioned only in Jeremiah chapters 38 and 39. This man helped rescue the prophet Jeremiah from the dungeon he was thrown into by the Israelite king’s men. Ebed-Melech was an Ethiopian that served the king. He was a Gentile – not one of the Israelites. Later in Jeremiah 39, Ebed-Melech is blessed by God: “’For I will surely deliver you, and you shall not fall by the sword; but your life shall be as a prize to you, because you have put your trust in Me,’ says the Lord.”
Matthew 6 says that we should not let even our left hand know what our right hand is doing – we need to serve others not to be noticed, but to do what we are called to do, bless others, and ultimately glorify God. Ebed-Melech is not well known. He is not in all the children’s Bibles with David and Goliath. I had never even heard of him until my pastor mentioned him in one of his sermons. Even though he is not well known, God used Ebed-Melech to rescue His prophet and, because Ebed-Melech trusted in God, God delivered him from the Israelite’s enemies.
My mom recently challenged my sister and I to do something to serve someone else without them knowing who did it. I want to challenge you to do the same. This next week, pick two people to serve without them knowing it was you. Whether it be a chore for your sibling or maybe even writing a note of encouragement to a friend, do it to bless them and glorify God. I know you will be blessed – just like Ebed-Melech.
In Christ,
Macy
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hi! I’m Macy, a bondservant of Jesus Christ and saved by His amazing grace. I’m sixteen years old and I’m homeschooled along with my three sweet, younger sisters. I really enjoy studying God’s Word, playing games as a family, playing the piano, and writing. I also love seeing how God works through each and every circumstance! He is so good! One of my favorite Bible verses is: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
