Sunday Lessons: Do things for the approval of God.

"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him."

                                                                                                  - Matthew 5-8

It's easy to get our priorities all mixed up. Sometimes, the things we are supposed to do for God end up being done for the approval of our audience. We end up being performers in a play with a hundred facades, eager to please anyone who's watching. Sometimes doing the right thing becomes appearing to do the right thing--doing righteous acts with the wrong motives.

“The true test of a man’s character is what he does when no one is watching.”

                                                           - John Wooden

I'd like to revise that quote and change "when no one is watching" to "when only God is watching."

Let's not be hypocrites. Let's not blow trumpets when we pray, when we fast, or when we help. Let's do things for the approval of God, not for the praise of people.