Secret giving: Should all giving be done in secret?

I was sitting across from a friend at lunch when the topic of charitable giving came up.

With genuine concern in his voice, he leaned forward and whispered, “You know, you really shouldn’t talk about your giving. Didn’t Jesus said it should be done in secret?”

I nodded politely, but inside I was wrestling with a question that had been stirring in my heart for months:

Is keeping all giving completely private actually what Jesus intended?

For years, I believed that to be the truth.

I’d cite Matthew 6:3-4 where Jesus says, “don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing” and “give in secret.”

It seemed straightforward.

But what if, in our effort to avoid pride, we’ve created an unintended consequence?

What if our culture of silent giving has inadvertently allowed materialism to speak louder than generosity in our churches?

Motive vs method

When we look at the context of Jesus’ words, I believe something profound emerges.

Jesus wasn’t establishing a universal rule about keeping all giving private. He was addressing the heart behind the giving.

In Matthew 6:2, just before the famous “secret giving” verse, Jesus explains:

“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.”

The Pharisees literally had trumpets blown to announce their generosity. Their motive wasn’t God’s glory—it was human applause.

This critical distinction changes everything.

The Cost of Our Silence

A few years ago, God gently rebuked me during prayer.

I had been silent about financial miracles He had worked in our lives—particularly how our obedience in giving had led to unexpected miraculous provision.

Like most, Linda and I preferred keeping our financial situation “private.”

But in that moment, I realized something sobering:

by keeping silent about the direct connection between our giving and His provision, we were missing opportunities to inspire others’ in their giving journey.

Psalm 40:10 captures this tension perfectly:

“I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and your saving help. I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness from the great assembly.”

I now believe there are times when concealing God’s work in our lives doesn’t protect humility—it prevents testimony.

What the Bible says about public giving

If we look closely at Scripture, we find numerous examples of public giving portrayed positively:

The Widow’s Offering (Mark 12:41-44) – Jesus observed and publicly commended her sacrificial giving
The early Christians openly shared possessions (Acts 4:32-37) – Their generosity was visible and inspiring
Zacchaeus publicly declared his giving plans (Luke 19:1-10) – His public commitment was part of his transformation
David gave openly from his personal treasures (1 Chronicles 29:1-9) – His example inspired others to give generously

Each case demonstrates how public giving with right motives can inspire a community toward greater faithfulness.

And then there’s Matthew 5:16:

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Jesus directly calls us to allow others to see our good deeds—with the critical purpose that God would be glorified, not ourselves.

The Prayer Parallel

And here’s something interesting:

In Matthew 6:5-6, Jesus also instructs us to pray in secret for the same reason—to avoid showmanship and pride.

Yet we don’t criticize pastors who share insights from their prayer life or authors who write books about their prayer routines. Why?

Because the assumption is their goal isn’t self-promotion but edification of others.

Why should giving be treated differently?

We Desperately Need Models of Radical Generosity

Young believers (and older ones too) desperately need to see what radical generosity looks like in practice. They need examples that go beyond theoretical teaching about generosity.

Pastor Tim Keller once said, “You never learn anything spiritually valuable by being told. You have to be shown.”

When Linda and I share that God called us to give our age as a percentage of our income (starting at 31% when I was 31 and increasing 1% each year), it’s not to gain applause.

It’s to provide a concrete model that might inspire others in their generosity journey.

We consistently hear from facilitators of our 6-week financial class for churches something like this, “After hearing your story, people in our church didn’t just manage their money better—they increased both their joy in giving and their percentage of giving.”

Of course, the goal isn’t that everyone “gives their age” but that we just highlight what God asked us to do and the result of that obedience.

3 questions to ask

The balance lies in examining your heart.

Before sharing about your giving, ask yourself:

Am I sharing to glorify God or myself? If your story points to God’s faithfulness rather than your sacrifice, it’s probably worth telling.
Will others be encouraged in their own giving journey? If your experience might help someone take their next step of faith, consider sharing it.
Does this highlight God’s work rather than my own sacrifice? When God is the hero of your giving story, not you, it’s likely a testimony rather than a boast.

What’s At Stake

The next generation needs living examples of generous living grounded in faith—not just theory.

Our silence about giving might protect our reputation for ‘humility’, but it could rob others of the inspiration they need to take their own steps of faith.

When we hide all our giving stories, we inadvertently communicate that giving is something to keep hidden rather than a joyful privilege worth celebrating.

Acts 4:20 captures the proper attitude: