What does not letting the 'Right hand know what the Left hand is doing?

Question

What does the 'bible quote' Not letting the right hand know what the 'left hand is doing? i've always wondered what this quote means?

Answer 1

In some religious ways it could mean, like, do a good deed without letting your ego know you did it so you get the sin of pride about it.

Or, it could be if you have an innocence, don't let it get distorted by the bad you've done (as the left is always considered bad: "sinister"). Keep that innocent part of you pure, in spite of sins you may have committed.

Answer 2

At the right hand of God sits Jesus, the Bible says, (at least the King James says that somewhere) ever since He went to heaven again.

The left hand has been associated with "dark" doings, though I've no idea why, really. In my vague memories of doing a lot of Bible reading, it's said in the Book of Job that God does His work at the left side of men, where, apparently, they don't see Him. He keeps His work under wraps until it's finished, right? Or is that left?

I'm teasing... it mainly means to keep the good deeds in mind and don't be tempted by bad ones. (It IS an old and not very p.c. way of saying that.)

Answer 3

When you look at the meaning of a Bible quote, make sure you look at it in its context.
Mathhew 6:1-4
"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, 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 men. I tell you the truth, 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.

I hope this makes it a little clearer.

Answer 4

Both hands are connected to the same body, so they should be working together, and know the other is doing.

If you are dealing with two different parts of a federal agency for example, one part of the agency is tearing down houses because they are trying to build a freeway. At the same time, another division is building houses in the same area. They don't know what the other division is doing, and are perhaps working in direct opposition to each other.

Answer 5

The original quote from the Bible reads:
"When thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: that thine alms may be in secret..."
Here, it clearly means "don't do something good with publicity in mind".

Answer 6

We as Christians are all part of the body of Christ. So this means when we give alms do not tell other parts of the body.

Answer 7

It means two parts that are supposed to be a team working in opposition of each other.

Answer 8

its trying to teach us to do good works with a pure intention. Sometime we may do it out of good desire but as humans we can't stand the temptation of letting others know we did help certain charities by offering large sum of $.

Answer 9

It works well in intelligence services to create multi-layered networks which are harder to penetrate.

In most other entities, it results in miscommunication and waste.

I didn't realise it was biblical in origin.

@ embroidery fan

I thought RHPers denounced the left-right distinction as a false dichotomy used by LHPers to justify their behaviour.

Answer 10

it means not sharing information with the very people that could be helping you. in which case you end up working towards the same goal fruitlessly