Matthew 6: 1-4 (NIV)
"Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven."
"So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."
God has called us to bless others with our time, our skills and our finances. We should look for ways in which we can bless another whether they be a family member, friend, colleague or even a stranger. This verse encourages us not to advertise our giving but to do it discretely so only the receiver knows. If we are led by our flesh, we may well feel the need to tell others of what we have done as a boost to our ego. The word of God forbids us of any form of boasting of ourselves.
We must also be thankful that we have been placed in a position where we are able to freely give to others. We must not take this for granted. There are some who would like to give, in fact they yearn to give but cannot as circumstances do not permit them to. God sees their heart.
When we give of ourselves we must do so with a pure heart. We should check our hearts to ensure our motives are correct. Giving must not be done in order to manipulate, control or make the receiver feel bound to us. Giving should be done with nothing expected in return.
Often our rewards come from God and not from the people we choose to help. Let us remember God is our source, He gives to us so that we can give onto others.