How does Matthew 6:1 connect with Proverbs 16:2 on motives? Key verses to keep in view “Be careful not to perform your righteous acts before men to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 6:1) “All a man’s ways are pure in his own eyes, but his motives are weighed out by the LORD.” (Proverbs 16:2) Shared heartbeat between the passages • Both texts expose the difference between outward behavior and inward intent. • Matthew 6:1 warns against public righteousness done for applause; Proverbs 16:2 reminds us that even when we think our actions are spotless, God assesses the hidden “why.” • The Lord, not people, is the audience that matters—and He sees motives with perfect clarity. Why motives matter to God • God looks past appearances (1 Samuel 16:7). • Nothing is hidden from Him; His word “judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). • Future judgment will reveal “the motives of hearts” before praise comes from God (1 Corinthians 4:5). When good deeds lose their reward 1. Deed performed—giving, praying, fasting (Matthew 6:2-18). 2. Wrong motive—“to be honored by men.” 3. Immediate payoff—human approval. 4. Eternal deficit—“no reward from your Father.” How Proverbs 16:2 underlines Jesus’ warning • Self-deception: “All a man’s ways are pure in his own eyes” mirrors the Pharisees’ self-confidence in Matthew 6. • Divine evaluation: “Motives are weighed out by the LORD” parallels “your Father who sees in secret” (Matthew 6:4, 6, 18). • Outcome: God’s weighing determines real reward; appearances don’t. Practical checkpoints for pure motives • Ask whose approval you crave before you act. • Serve where no one notices—practice secrecy. • Celebrate unseen faithfulness in others rather than public platforms. • Regularly invite God to search and test your heart (Psalm 139:23-24). • Anchor identity in being children of the Father, not performers for a crowd. Encouragement for today The same Lord who weighs motives also empowers pure ones. As we keep our eyes on Him, quiet obedience gains eternal weight, and even the smallest unseen act done by faith “is not forgotten by God” (Hebrews 6:10). |
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