Today's Verse: Matthew 6:1

Sunday, August 17, 2003

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.
— Matthew 6:1
Now you can listen to Today's Verse on iTunes, Spotify, Echo devices, and more!

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Why do we do the things we do? What is the motivation for our behavior as a Christian person? It's so easy to fall into the trap of doing religious things so that we will look good to others - especially to our spiritual friends. This is true even when culture reacts negatively to our faith. Those around us who know about our faith and the Christians around us become the target of our good behaviors. While we want to influence everyone around us, we must never make our decisions about spiritual service based on being seen by others to be honored by them because of it. Our goal must be to honor God and bless others!

My Prayer...

Almighty God, please purify my heart of any false motivation and help me serve others based on their need and my desire to honor you in helping them. In Jesus' name, I ask for this help. Amen.

Have thoughts on this devotional? Leave a comment

11 Related Resources by Heartlight

Just Between the Father and Me
Devo: What Jesus Did!
"[Jesus continued:] "Watch out! Don't do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven.""
Matthew 6:1
Devo: Today's Verse
"[Jesus continued his Sermon on the Mount,] "Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward..."
Looking to Get on Film?
Illustration of Matthew 6:1
Inspirational illustration of Matthew 6:1 -- 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.
Goodness Out of the Spotlight
Devo: Together in Christ
"[Jesus warned his disciples,] "Watch out! Don't do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in..."
See All 11 Related Resources about Matthew 6:1

Illustration

Illustration of Matthew 6:1 — 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.

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Sunday, August 17, 2003

Praying with Paul
Features the apostle Paul's writings turned into daily, powerful prayers.
'Examining Myself' (1 Co. 11:27-32)
"Dear Father, giver of bread and wine, May I never eat the bread or drink the cup in an unworthy manner, lest I profane the body and blood of the..."
God's Holy Fire
A daily devotional about the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
'Overflow!' (Ro. 15:13)
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
Morning & Evening
The classic twice-daily devotional from Charles H. Spurgeon.
Evening Thought: Psalms 91:5
"What is this terror? It may be the cry of fire, or the noise of thieves, or fancied appearances, or the shriek of sudden sickness or death. We live in..."
Passion for Praise
A daily passage of Scripture emphasizing praise to our God.
'Full Life Praise' (Ps. 101:1-3)
"I will sing of your love and justice, Lord. I will praise you with songs. I will be careful to live a blameless life — when will you come to..."

About This Devotional

Today's Verse is a free daily devotional that includes a Bible verse, thought and prayer.

The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.

More Today's Verse