THE LORD LOOKS AT THE HEART
5 "BUT ALL THEIR WORKS THEY DO TO BE SEEN BY MEN. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments.
6 "They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues,
7 "greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’ “
Matthew 23:5-7 (NKJV)
Some so-called believers want to impress other people, they want people to believe that they are good and godly; they wanted other people to reverence them.
Such people outwardly look pious and sanctimonious, but on the inside they are full of evil (Matthew 23:27,28).
Let what you portray or depict outside be what you are on the inside; you should not be like scribes and pharisees of Jesus days, who are hypocrites: “EVEN SO YOU ALSO OUTWARDLY APPEAR RIGHTEOUS TO MEN, BUT INSIDE YOU ARE FULL OF HYPOCRISY AND LAWLESSNESS" (Matthew 23:28 NKJV).
READ: Matthew 23:25-27
Do not try to impress men, but rather strive to please God. Humans may revere you, honour you, because you look piously; albeit, that may not earn you any blessing, benefit or reward, from God. It is not what people say about you that matters, but what God says about you: "SO YOU SHOULD NOT DECIDE ABOUT THINGS BEFORE THE TIME IS RIGHT. WAIT UNTIL THE LORD COMES AGAIN. HE WILL SHOW EVERYTHING CLEARLY. HE WILL SHOW THE BAD THINGS THAT PEOPLE HAVE DONE SECRETLY. HE WILL SHOW THE SECRET PURPOSE OF PEOPLE'S THOUGHTS. THEN GOD WILL PRAISE EACH PERSON IN A WAY THAT IS RIGHT FOR THEM" (1 Corinthians 4:5 EasyEnglish Bible).
“BUT THE LORD SAID TO SAMUEL, “DO NOT LOOK AT HIS APPEARANCE OR AT PHYSICAL STATURE, BECAUSE I HAVE REFUSED HIM. FOR THE LORD DOES NOT SEE AS MAN SEES; FOR MAN LOOKS AT THE OUTWARD APPEARANCE, BUT THE LORD LOOKS AT THE HEART.” "
1 Samuel 16:7 (NKJV)
Some people, even believers, would not want to obey or do what God has instructed them to do, because of what people will say; they want to please human beings: "FOR DO I NOW PERSUADE MEN, OR GOD? OR DO I SEEK TO PLEASE MEN? FOR IF I STILL PLEASED MEN, I WOULD NOT BE A BONDSERVANT OF CHRIST" (Galatians 1:10 NKJV).
In your walk with God, always strive to please God; If pleasing God would displease men, you should rather choose to please God, not men:
27 "WHATEVER I TELL YOU IN THE DARK, SPEAK IN THE LIGHT; AND WHAT YOU HEAR IN THE EAR, PREACH ON THE HOUSETOPS. 28 "AND DO NOT FEAR THOSE WHO KILL THE BODY BUT CANNOT KILL THE SOUL. BUT RATHER FEAR HIM WHO IS ABLE TO DESTROY BOTH SOUL AND BODY IN HELL" (Matthew 10:27,28 NKJV).
In walking with God, and to get the best of Him, let your obedience to His words or commands be absolute. Do not try to impress any person, let your full loyalty or allegiance be to God. Whatever you would get from God shall be premised on this simple fact that is expressed here.
Peace!