“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” – ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭14‬-‭16‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

“But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men; for they broaden their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments.” – ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭23‬:‭5‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.” – Matthew 6:1

“When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.” – Matthew 6:5

“Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.” – Matthew 6:16

The problem is not that we are seen by men as we do the good we’re called to. We are light. Light is visible. The darker the night, the harder it is for light to hide.

The problem is our heart in the work. Trying to be seen so people notice us and glorify us in our supposed good, robbing God of His due, is the sin. Doing good to please and honor God and Him getting the glory is the goal.

The heart of those seeing is in play here as well. When they see our good works, who do they glorify? Man’s deeds, or God’s goodness in bringing it all about?

Watch your own hearts, for from the depths of that which makes us who we are flows the springs of life. That which is in us – our desires, motives, intentions – will seep out as a light of revelation, making our true nature known.

““No one, after lighting a lamp, puts it away in a cellar nor under a basket, but on the lampstand, so that those who enter may see the light. The eye is the lamp of your body; when your eye is clear, your whole body also is full of light; but when it is bad, your body also is full of darkness. Then WATCH OUT THAT THE LIGHT IN YOU IS NOT DARKNESS. If therefore your whole body is full of light, with no dark part in it, it will be wholly illumined, as when the lamp illumines you with its rays.”” – ‭‭Luke‬ ‭11‬:‭33‬-‭36‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬