12 Monthly Challenges to Elevate Your Faith | July's Faith Challenge | The Harvest of Tzedakah | The Weight of Secret Giving

As we enter the fifth month of our journey to elevate our faith, we move our focus outward. Up to this point, much of our work has been internal, guarding our mornings, our speech, and our time. But true faith cannot remain trapped within the walls of our own minds or homes. If it does, it risks becoming stagnant.

This month, we dive into the deep waters of Tzedakah - righteous giving that seeks no earthly reward.

The Modern Trap of Recognition

We live in an era where charity is frequently treated as content. People record themselves giving food to the hungry or money to the homeless, turning an act of righteousness into a performance for social media validation. When we give for the applause of men, we receive our reward in full on this earth, and our motives become compromised.

True righteousness, Tzedakah, is not about pity or seeking a "good guy" reputation. It is an act of justice. It is returning what is right to those who are in need because we acknowledge that everything we own belongs to the Creator.

The Challenge: Identify and Meet a Need Anonymously

Your challenge this month is to actively look for a vulnerable individual or family within your local community, specifically focusing on those our ancient laws explicitly command us to protect: the widow, the orphan, or the struggling family.

The Requirements:

• Seek the Need: Look beyond the large, organized charities. Look into your immediate circle, your neighborhood, or your local assembly. Who is quietly drowning under financial stress? Who is lonely or struggling to provide?

• Act Safely and Materially: Meet that need with a tangible gift, whether it is paying a bill, leaving a box of groceries, or providing essential supplies.

• Remain Completely Anonymous: You must ensure that the recipient never knows the gift came from you. Use a third party, drop it off without a signature, or mail it without a return address.

Why This Matters for Us

When we give in complete secrecy, we strip away the ego. There is no one to thank us, no one to praise us, and no praise to display to others. The only two who know about the transaction are you and the Creator. This builds an unshakeable trust. It forces us to believe that He sees us in secret, and it ensures our devotion remains entirely undivided.

The Harvest of Tzedakah: Scripture Guide

Let these words guide your intentions as you seek out a need this month:

• Deuteronomy 15:11: “For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.”

• Proverbs 21:3: “To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to YAH than sacrifice.”

• Isaiah 1:17: “Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.”

Practical Ways to Give Anonymously

• The Grocery Drop: If you know a family is struggling to put food on the table, purchase gift cards or non-perishable groceries and leave them on their doorstep with a note that simply says: "A blessing for your household. You are not forgotten.”

• The Utility Lifeline: Many utility companies allow you to pay a balance on someone else's account if you have their name and address, without revealing your own identity.

• The Gift of Care: For a single parent or a widow, consider hiring a service (like lawn care or a repair technician) to visit their home, paying the invoice fully in advance.

By keeping your hand hidden, you allow the recipient to thank the Almighty instead of thanking you, and that is where true righteousness resides.

Elohim still loves you, Israel. The call remains the same: Choose Life, Choose Blessing, Choose Undivided Devotion. Repent, Return, and be free from the shadows of gross darkness.

I hope this blog post has been helpful. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment below. Shalom qodesh qadasheem - the “set apart ones.”