The right motivation
In the last studies we talked a lot about having the right motivation. We came to the conclusion that the only right motivation we can have as a Christian is the love of God. Since it can take a while before we can finally get this, Jesus gave us more examples about how to live with the right motivation. In Matthew 5 He gave us several examples of wrong motivations and acts. Since He told us that our righteousness should exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, He also knew that we needed a few examples on how to do that.
Although I grew up in a charismatic church, I also visited the more traditional Churches for a while. I found out that in every Church, there are always people who are very ambitious, mostly using self promotion as a tool to promote in the Church. You know the kind of people I’m talking about. Most of the time they are on the first row, always praying long and loud prayers, always pointing out how God gave them talents, always trying to show how ‘holy’ they are etc. While doing that, they make sure that everyone can hear or see what they do for God. I noticed that much of what these people say and do isn’t real. It’s just a performance. Since not many Churches are testing anymore, those are mostly the people that ‘promote’ very fast. If they would test, they would find out the true motivation of a lot of these people: proud. Unfortunately proud infected a lot of the Church these days, mainly because it’s so easy to become proud. As we all know, satan is always accusing us when we’ve sinned. He always does that, except with one specific sin… Pride is the only sin that satan will never accuse you with. It is also the worst sin there is, since it will lead you to spiritual death, when you allow it to enter your life.
Pride is the root of many sins. It was also the first sin in the universe. It didn’t start on earth, it started in heaven. It was the moment that satan wanted to exalt himself above God, a battle he lost. Now it would be very easy just to point to the people I just described, but it also happens much closer then that. In our own hearts. Pride is a part of our carnal nature. It’s not something we invite in our lives, it’s just there. And it can be very difficult to deal with. Pride doesn’t feel bad, it even feels good. Satan knows that pride is the most deadliest tool he has to destroy the Church, to destroy your personal relationship with the Lord and to bring division in the house of God. The thing pride does is that it will make you feel better then others. In fact it will make that you will feel it’s justified to be exalted above the others. Do you see the parable here? It does exactly the same as with satan, just before he was kicked out of heaven. Pride comes very easy and if we’re not on guard, it will overtake is before we know it.
The Bible teaches us that those who will exalt their selves, will be humiliated. And those who humble their selves, will be rewarded. God knows how hard it is to deal with pride. Jesus lived among us and was tempted as well, but Jesus knew exactly what pride does. Because God wants to help us to live a holy life, without pride, He gave us some keys on how to do that. I’m now going to show you three Bible parts from Matthew 6, where Jesus is teaching. He talks about three different subjects and yet He talks about one. So I challenge you to read these three parts a few times and to see what it actually is that Jesus is talking about.
Take heed 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 Himself reward you openly.
And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
When I started to read these verses in the English Bible (NKJV) I became very enthusiastic! Suddenly I saw something that I never saw before. That is not strange because the Dutch Bible just says that the Father will reward you. The English Bible however, says that the Father will reward you openly! Since I found that very interesting, I started to look it up in the original Greek language and found out that the Dutch Bible translations are indeed missing a very important part here. Indeed it says that He will reward you openly/publicly/visible.
That is the key to it all here. Do you see it? When we allow pride into our lives, and when we start to point at our self, we will receive glory from our brothers and sisters. They will look up to you and maybe even honor you. But Jesus says that those people already received their reward. When we don’t allow pride into our lives, and when we do everything we do for the glory of God, in the secret place (where the Father is!), then we will not receive glory from our brothers and sisters. In fact they don’t even know what you are doing because it is something between you and your heavenly Father. As a result of that, God will reward you openly.
“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
1 Corinthians 10:31
The end result will always be that you receive glory. But you can choose from who you want to receive that glory. Do want glory from men? Or do you want glory from your heavenly Father? That is a choice you can make. Father God knows that we need acknowledgment and acceptation. He made us that way. The point is that when we receive glory from men, it will never be enough. It will never satisfy us. So when we start to receive that glory from men, you always need more to feel good. The more you need, the more you ask, the prouder you become, until your relationship with God is completely destroyed.
When you start to humble yourself for God, in the secret place, without anyone noticing, He will even reward you double. In the secret place there are beautiful things happening. That is the place of intimacy with God. That is the place where He will give you His love, His acknowledgment, His acceptation, His insight, His rest, His peace, His embrace. That is the place where you will grow to higher spiritual levels, closer and closer to your heavenly Father. He will restore you and love you like no other. He will never let you down. In that secret place, your life will start to change. While spending time in that secret place, where Father God is, the things of the world and the acknowledgment of men are becoming very unimportant to you and He becomes everything to and for you. The fruits of this process will eventually become visible in your life. You no longer need to point at yourself, people will see that you changed, they will recognize you as a son or daughter of the Father. And your heavenly Father will keep His promise. He will reward you openly, for all to see.
So that leaves you with a choice. You can choose now what you will do. What will it be? Will you let pride rule and destroy your life? Or will you go to the secret place, to experience the Father’s embrace and to be changed forever? It really isn’t that hard to do. Father is waiting for you, as He is waiting for you every single day, when He looks out if you will come to Him that day. He enjoys being with you and spending time with you. He loves you, no matter the condition you’re in. His love is unconditional. I can’t take your hand and bring you there. I can only show you the way, but you have to walk on it yourself. Your relationship with God is very personal and is something between you and Him, just as my relationship with Him is between me and Him. We are all different, but He will treat us in a way that fits us best. He believes in you and so do I. You can do it, together with Him you can do it all.
