That people may see us

A few years ago, in the football cup final in England, the fans of LIVERPOOL displayed a large banner which read, "For those of you watching in black and white, Liverpool is the team who has the ball."

It was a way of saying that they dominated the game. But also that they were the only ones that were worth watching and admiring.

There is a danger here that we can all fall into - to do things only for others to admire us. To sign up for all the victory parades and the pictures of the winner. To seek the first places, to seek to be loved, admired, and praised.

To sell the truth in exchange for an important place. To think of oneself as the best, and the most important. And, of course, to do everything as a hypocrite, that is, pretending to act in the most honest way possible.

The Lord Jesus spoke on many occasions about this type of person. He said that:

1. They speak in a certain way, and behave in another.

2. They set heavy loads on others backs.

3. They do everything in order to be admired.

4. They like to seem very spiritual.

5. They like to be in the first place at all great occasions.

6. They like people to admire and recognise them.

7. They like people to speak well of them.

8. They love to be the leaders of whatever they are involved in.

9. They are legalistic.

10. They are the kings of hypocrisy.

What terrible people! What hypocrites! But just a moment... do you not remember what God says? That in the same way you judge others, you will also be found guilty? Do we not ourselves behave as the Pharisees that God speaks about?

Remember, when was the last time you stopped doing something, because there was not a big enough reward? When was the last time in which you did something, just because someone was looking? Who gets the glory when we do it? Do we?…