Public display of charity/QCinema - now showing

I'm not one to mock any effort of others to help others. In fact, I have written once or twice that we should encourage everyone to be charitable, to be generous and especially after so much damage to lives and property brought about by typhoons and calamities.

But last Monday morning, I found myself wide awake at 4:30 a.m. and after a futile attempt at going back to sleep, I was reminded that such an occasion is one of those "inconvenient times" when God wants our attention.

It actually makes sense because at those times he actually gets our attention, and we have no distractions.

So, I walked over to my desk, took out my Bible and found the book marker on the book of Matthew, Chapter 6, which teaches us: "Take care that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise, you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men.

Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.

"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 reward himself openly." I have to say that the lesson was quite timely given all the individuals, organizations and groups busy running their respective fund-raising drive, collecting donations, etc. for all the victims of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine.