Do the Right Thing for the Right Reason

Bill Chapman begins by emphasising the importance of our motives in practicing righteousness. He references Matthew 6, where Jesus teaches about giving to the needy, prayer, and fasting. Jesus warns against performing these acts for public admiration, which leads to losing the reward from our Father in heaven.

Key Points:

1. Warning Against Hypocrisy:

- Giving to the Needy: Jesus advises against giving publicly to gain admiration. Instead, we should give in private, ensuring our motives are pure.

- Prayer: Jesus condemns praying in public for show. True prayer should be a private communication with God, done with sincerity.

- Fasting: Jesus warns against making a show of fasting. True fasting is a private act of devotion to God, not for public recognition.

2. God's Reward:

- God rewards those who act with the right heart. The true reward is God’s honor and recognition.

- Acting with the wrong motives jeopardizes this divine reward.

3. The Importance of Sincerity:

- True acts of generosity, prayer, and fasting should not be performances but genuine expressions of faith and devotion.

- Proverbs 14:31 and 19:17 highlight that helping the poor honors God and reflects our relationship with Him.

4. Guarding Our Hearts:

- Be cautious in our actions and intentions. Scripture repeatedly advises us to be careful, emphasizing the importance of sincerity in our spiritual practices.

- Wrong motives, like those of the Pharisees, can corrupt and lead to losing God's honor (Mark 8:15).

5. Right Reasons Lead to Right Responses:

- Doing the right things for the right reasons generates the right response from God and others.

- Isaiah 58:3-4 criticizes fasting done for self-serving reasons, showing that the practice must be aligned with righteous motives.

Practical Application:

- Self-Examination: Regularly examine your motives to ensure your actions glorify God.

- Living with Purpose: Arthur Brooks’ principles from "From Strength to Strength" serve as a practical guide:

1. Glorify God in everything you do.

2. Serve others selflessly.

3. Embrace life as an adventure.

4. Sustain yourself through meaningful work.

- Reflect God’s Generosity: Let your generosity mirror God’s, motivated by a heart for Him rather than seeking recognition.

Conclusion:

Bill Chapman closes with a reminder to do everything with the right heart, making it about God and not ourselves. By aligning our motives with God's will, we honor Him and receive His true reward.