Service With The Right Motive

Service With The Right Motive

Text: Colossians 3:23–24; Matthew 6:1–4

God is not only interested in what you do, He is deeply concerned about why you do it.

Service can be polluted by wrong motives:

• Seeking recognition
• Desire for praise
• Competition with others
• Obligation without love

When your motive is wrong, your service loses spiritual value, even if it looks good outwardly.

God rewards sincerity, not showmanship.

Jesus warned against doing good works to be seen by men. When your focus is human approval, you have already received your reward.

True service is done:

• For God
• From the heart
• Without expectation of applause

The danger in today’s generation is that service has become performance-driven. But in God’s Kingdom, service is relationship-driven.

Biblical Illustration

In Acts 5, Ananias and Sapphira gave an offering, but their motive was wrong, they wanted recognition. Their deception revealed that God sees beyond actions into intentions.

Also, contrast this with the widow in Mark 12 who gave quietly but sacrificially. Jesus honored her because of her heart.

Deeper Insight

Right motives in service:

• Honor God
• Bless others
• Build eternal rewards

Wrong motives may impress people, but they do not move God.

Application

• Check your heart regularly
• Serve without seeking recognition
• Focus on pleasing God, not people

Shalom