Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.
(Philippians 2:3 NLT)
Jesus, who knew what people were like, had the following to say about the religious leaders of His day:
Everything they do is just to show off in front of others. They even make a big show of wearing Scripture verses on their foreheads and arms, and they wear big tassels for everyone to see. They love the best seats at banquets and the front seats in the meeting places. And when they are in the market, they like to have people greet them as their teachers. (Matthew 23:5-7 CEV)
Our motives matter to God. In today’s passage, Paul tells us, “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others.” In other words, we’re not to do things just to be seen and praised by others, which is what the religious leaders were doing. We’re also not to think too highly of ourselves that we forget that there are others who are just as talented as we are. What is your motive for doing things? “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24 NIV).
God isn’t concerned so much about how we do things but why.
Rising with the Son 