To be Seen of Men (part 1) - Glory in the Lord
Introduction. The self-esteem and enthusiasm created when others notice and praise us is such a powerful motivation, it is used everywhere. Schools use it to motivate students to better grades, businesses for productivity, the military for acts of heroism, and the Olympics for athletics. We have found many creative uses for our powerful need to be noticed and praised by our peers.
Sadly, as so often is the case, the more powerful the emotion and the greater ability to bring joy and success, the greater its abuse can lead to our destruction. Satan has found a use for all the lusts of men and the “pride of life’ is no exception. Countless multitudes, reaching for success in these areas have been led away from God, never to return.
When God saw that “the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.” (1Cor. 1:21-26). He also warned “that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble” will be interested in obeying the gospel or associating with true Christians. As far as riches are concerned, “those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.” (1Tim. 6:9).
Thus, God showed beyond doubt that when we draw from the “pride of life”, we are in grave danger of losing our way. There is nothing wrong with our success in wisdom, might or wealth, but God must be first. God showed exactly where the danger comes from in all these things.
While schools are offering praise for “wisdom”, team sports are honoring and glorifying “might”, and businesses are awarding and exalting “riches”, these are not things God wants us striving for. For God’s genuine servant, these things are unimportant. We keep fixed in our mind that none of these things came as a result of anything we ever did. They exist only because of God who caused all of them to come into being. At birth, God gave us our natural gifts and abilities and all we have accomplished with them is only due to Him.
The emotions of glory and boasting must be kept in check: “For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen” (Rom. 11:36). If we think about it, Paul’s question to the Corinthians is just as important here: “what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?” (1Cor. 4:7). Yet that is exactly what those who get caught up in the quest for human greatness in wisdom, might and riches do. They act as if they did not receive it! Instead of bringing glory to God, they have been twisted by Satan and this world to lead us away from God.
Only when all the praise and glory we receive from men and any sense of accomplishment we feel as a result of it leads us to praise and glorify to God for them, are we protected. The glory they create is only safe and wholesome when celebrated as gifts from God.
Our greatest danger centers on the desire for the praise and glory of men entering into the things we do for God. Jesus was so concerned about this among His disciples that He gave a very strong warning to always be watching for it:
When we look at the Pharisees, we see the reason Jesus warned against this as a grave danger: “But all their works they do to be seen by men. They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’ But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’;” (Mt. 23:5-8). It ultimately led them to reject Jesus: “Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.” (Jn. 12:42-43). Jesus saw right through all their service to God that involved the praise of men: “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.” (Lk. 12:1-2). When we serve God for the praise of men, it is seen as hypocrisy. Whether in infancy of fully developed. It is not fully sincere if there is a desire for the praise of men.
What Jesus warned against later in this same chapter is true here also. Just as “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” (Mt. 6:24), so it is also with the praise of men. Only when God’s praise is exclusively in our heart can we be certain it is not tainted with hypocrisy. “But he is a Jew ... whose praise is not from men but from God.” (Rom. 2:29).
Jesus demanded we are always aware of how the notice of men is affecting our righteous service to God. The motives for our actions and the expectations of what we gained for doing them are of the highest importance to Him. It must be exclusively for God or there is no reward from God. It must be for God and God alone! If at the same time, we also seek for the praise and honor of our fellow man, that desire alone nullifies everything. Since any thought of praise and reward from men destroys any reward from God, it must always be in our mind.
Yet most of our acts of service are seen of men! How can you do a good deed to another without being seen? Jesus did not forbid disciples from doing acts of service to God if others are watching. We must always let our light shine, “before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (Mt. 5:16) When an evangelist is giving diligence to rightly divide the word of truth, he is doing it for God. When the godly praise his efforts and he is noticed, does it remove his reward? The answer is simple. If the praise of men is only the consequence of our efforts in serving God, then we have not violated Jesus words. But if our efforts are motivated by the men and women who are listening and it is their praise we seek, we have violated Jesus’ words and God does not see it as an act of service to Him anymore. It was done for men, rewarded by men and that is all.
Ananias and Sapphira were destroyed because they did not heed Jesus. If they had been motivated only by God’s praise, there would have been no regard or concern for the praise of men. The temptation would have been crushed. It was a desire for man’s praise that led to their lies and deception.
When our motives are pure and we only do things to please God, all other actions are also pure, clean and right. When we begin seeking praise from men, slowly and insidiously, the leaven of hypocrisy begins to work. We begin cutting corners, fudging truth, and it erodes our faith and our desire to please only God. It leads to a terrible end: “How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God?” (Jn. 5:41).
Conclusion. The motive behind our service to God is as important as the service itself. Just as there is no reward if we do nothing, there is no reward if we do it well, but with the wrong motivation. The praise of men short circuits the power of the action. It makes our service vain and there is no benefit. He does not speak these words to discourage us from working. He speaks them to warn us of the danger of seeking the praise of men.
Sadly, as so often is the case, the more powerful the emotion and the greater ability to bring joy and success, the greater its abuse can lead to our destruction. Satan has found a use for all the lusts of men and the “pride of life’ is no exception. Countless multitudes, reaching for success in these areas have been led away from God, never to return.
When God saw that “the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.” (1Cor. 1:21-26). He also warned “that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble” will be interested in obeying the gospel or associating with true Christians. As far as riches are concerned, “those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.” (1Tim. 6:9).
Thus, God showed beyond doubt that when we draw from the “pride of life”, we are in grave danger of losing our way. There is nothing wrong with our success in wisdom, might or wealth, but God must be first. God showed exactly where the danger comes from in all these things.
- “Thus says the Lord: “ Thus says the Lord, "Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; 24 but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things," declares the Lord.” (Jer. 9:23-24).
While schools are offering praise for “wisdom”, team sports are honoring and glorifying “might”, and businesses are awarding and exalting “riches”, these are not things God wants us striving for. For God’s genuine servant, these things are unimportant. We keep fixed in our mind that none of these things came as a result of anything we ever did. They exist only because of God who caused all of them to come into being. At birth, God gave us our natural gifts and abilities and all we have accomplished with them is only due to Him.
The emotions of glory and boasting must be kept in check: “For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen” (Rom. 11:36). If we think about it, Paul’s question to the Corinthians is just as important here: “what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?” (1Cor. 4:7). Yet that is exactly what those who get caught up in the quest for human greatness in wisdom, might and riches do. They act as if they did not receive it! Instead of bringing glory to God, they have been twisted by Satan and this world to lead us away from God.
Only when all the praise and glory we receive from men and any sense of accomplishment we feel as a result of it leads us to praise and glorify to God for them, are we protected. The glory they create is only safe and wholesome when celebrated as gifts from God.
Our greatest danger centers on the desire for the praise and glory of men entering into the things we do for God. Jesus was so concerned about this among His disciples that He gave a very strong warning to always be watching for it:
- “Beware (take heed – be careful) of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.” (Mt. 6:1).
When we look at the Pharisees, we see the reason Jesus warned against this as a grave danger: “But all their works they do to be seen by men. They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’ But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’;” (Mt. 23:5-8). It ultimately led them to reject Jesus: “Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.” (Jn. 12:42-43). Jesus saw right through all their service to God that involved the praise of men: “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.” (Lk. 12:1-2). When we serve God for the praise of men, it is seen as hypocrisy. Whether in infancy of fully developed. It is not fully sincere if there is a desire for the praise of men.
What Jesus warned against later in this same chapter is true here also. Just as “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” (Mt. 6:24), so it is also with the praise of men. Only when God’s praise is exclusively in our heart can we be certain it is not tainted with hypocrisy. “But he is a Jew ... whose praise is not from men but from God.” (Rom. 2:29).
Jesus demanded we are always aware of how the notice of men is affecting our righteous service to God. The motives for our actions and the expectations of what we gained for doing them are of the highest importance to Him. It must be exclusively for God or there is no reward from God. It must be for God and God alone! If at the same time, we also seek for the praise and honor of our fellow man, that desire alone nullifies everything. Since any thought of praise and reward from men destroys any reward from God, it must always be in our mind.
Yet most of our acts of service are seen of men! How can you do a good deed to another without being seen? Jesus did not forbid disciples from doing acts of service to God if others are watching. We must always let our light shine, “before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (Mt. 5:16) When an evangelist is giving diligence to rightly divide the word of truth, he is doing it for God. When the godly praise his efforts and he is noticed, does it remove his reward? The answer is simple. If the praise of men is only the consequence of our efforts in serving God, then we have not violated Jesus words. But if our efforts are motivated by the men and women who are listening and it is their praise we seek, we have violated Jesus’ words and God does not see it as an act of service to Him anymore. It was done for men, rewarded by men and that is all.
Ananias and Sapphira were destroyed because they did not heed Jesus. If they had been motivated only by God’s praise, there would have been no regard or concern for the praise of men. The temptation would have been crushed. It was a desire for man’s praise that led to their lies and deception.
When our motives are pure and we only do things to please God, all other actions are also pure, clean and right. When we begin seeking praise from men, slowly and insidiously, the leaven of hypocrisy begins to work. We begin cutting corners, fudging truth, and it erodes our faith and our desire to please only God. It leads to a terrible end: “How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God?” (Jn. 5:41).
Conclusion. The motive behind our service to God is as important as the service itself. Just as there is no reward if we do nothing, there is no reward if we do it well, but with the wrong motivation. The praise of men short circuits the power of the action. It makes our service vain and there is no benefit. He does not speak these words to discourage us from working. He speaks them to warn us of the danger of seeking the praise of men.