The apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Galatians, “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” (Gal 6:9) In Matthew’s gospel we read of Jesus saying, “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. … do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Matt 6:1-4). The consistent message you find in the Bible is that what we do should not be about us but should always be about others first. Our own glory should never be our motivating factor for doing good.

Haman was so wrapped up in himself that he hadn’t seen trouble coming. He believed that nothing else was as important as his personal ambition and now that things were beginning to unravel, he didn’t really know what to do. His advisers and his wife could only remind him that he was batting on a very sticky wicket after they had suggested that he have Mordecai hanged. With the shadow of a 75-foot gallows looming over him we have to wonder where this sorry tale of self-interest is going to wind up. (More later no doubt).

Mordecai lived as God calls all of us to live, humbly and without the need or desire for self-aggrandisement. The trouble is that affirmation feels good, doesn’t it? When people tell us we’re doing well or doing the right thing it makes us feel good and sometimes even quite powerful. The tension we have to hold lies between accepting praise given spontaneously where it’s due and seeking after it for its own sake.

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Question:

Do you find it difficult to hold the tension between doing what you know is righteous and good and seeking praise and adulation for the things you could do quietly for no personal gain?

Prayer:

Lord God, grant that we might always have the strength of character and the wisdom to put ourselves aside to serve and bless others without the need for personal gain. In Jesus’ name. Amen.