How to Make Right Choices — Shane Idleman

How to Make Right Choices

On this topic of how to make the right choice, we have the hardest time making decisions. Have you ever noticed that? Christians should actually have the easiest time making decisions, but we have the hardest time making decisions.

It's the most challenging for us sometimes because what happens is we want to please God so much, and we want to know God's will, but on the other side, there's this little mean guy in here called the flesh who wants to discourage and pull me away from God, and so our choices are never free from this conflict.

Repentance and Returning to God's Direction

So we're going to talk about how to make right choices, but before I get into it, I want to remind you that our loving Father, who's a good, good Father, wants us to get back on course. So no matter if you've fallen off course, if you're saying, Shane, I'm so lost, I'm so far away, God can't use me now.

Yes, He can. Just like a compass. When I'm walking, I take a compass sometimes, hiking, and if I need to go north and I'm going south, what do I need to do? Keep walking south? Turn around. And you want, actually, that's the word repentance in the Bible, is to change your mind and change direction.

So it doesn't matter if you've drifted, it doesn't matter if you don't even know God, what matters is where you leave here this morning. Where is your heart? Are you back on track saying, Lord, I'm back, heading north, heading in the right direction?

Thank God for the compass, which is, we all know. So you knew I couldn't talk about making right choices without this, right? That'd be like trying to drive your car without the engine in it. It might look nice, but you're not going anywhere.

The Scriptural Test and the Pain of Discipline

So the first point, and I actually grabbed these from Hope for the Heart. I came across the handout, I think we handed it out this morning, if not, I know we did a few weeks ago, on eight tests for making wise decisions.

And I Googled it a little bit, I want to make sure I gave the right person credit. So the eight tests come from Hope for the Heart, but I also threw in a couple of my own tests, and I've taken out an excerpt from a book I wrote many years ago, What Works for Young Adults.

And I think you've got the handout, one per family. I'm going to read from that a little bit too. So it's kind of bringing all this together on how to make right choices. So the first test, if you're about ready to make a choice, especially young adults, you need to listen up.

Turn off your phone. I'm giving you permission to turn off your phone. And stop texting or acting like you're taking notes, because you're not. We know that the whole thing is there. Well, I need my Bible on phone.

No, you don't. Not this morning. I'm going to read every scripture for you. So the scriptural test, the scriptural test, and the reason I'm so adamant about this is I see so many people destroy their lives because of wrong decisions and wrong choices.

If they would have just got back on track. And here's what, if you take away a few nuggets from this morning, I hope this is one of them. You will either experience the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.

So yes, discipline is hard. It's challenging. It's difficult to live inside of God's will. But you're either going to experience that pain or the pain of regret. That's how we go through life, the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.

Paul says to discipline our body, bring it under subjection, to make no provision for the flesh, to let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, therefore have the mind of Christ, make, in all these things, cast away, put on, all these things.

It's hard. It's discipline. Ask, ask, ask anybody who competed in the Olympics if they had any discipline. Their whole life was about discipline. So you either experience that pain of discipline or the pain of regret when it comes to following God's path.

Is there any way Susie or Josh could turn the lights on a little bit? It seems a little dark, but maybe it's just me. If not, that's okay. So the first test, the first test is this test, and you always have to start here.

God's Word as the Standard for Decisions

And this is where many people get sidetracked. The scriptural test. Does my choice line up, does your choice line up with the word of God? Second Timothy 3 .16. All scripture is given by the inspiration of God.

All scripture, not some. All scripture is given by the inspiration of God, and it is profitable for doctrine, which is truth, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness. So that pretty much sums up everything, and some of you might be going, what do those words mean?

Isn't reproof and correction the same thing? Well, no, it's not. But without, I mean, I could take a whole sermon just with that scripture. But let's talk about the four things. The word of God is profitable.

It means you will never go wrong, and any time you invest, you will always go right. It's profitable for doctrine. If you need to know what truth is, you can look to the word of God. You don't have to wonder in relativism.

Everything's relative to the situation. What's true for you might not be true for me. So that's why you can murder. That's why you can just, the party lifestyle, and it's convicting for you, Shane, but not for me.

It's called relativism. That's where the church shifts from postmodern, premodern, all these things. Now we're living in an age called postmodern or relative. So truth is relative to your situation. Now how ridiculous is that?

Is two plus two still four? Would you like to jump off the balcony and see how it feels? Gravity. I mean, truth is truth. It's not relative. Why they're changing truth is what they're saying is, I want to make it relevant to my lifestyle.

You can keep gravity. You can keep two plus two is four. Hey, I'll let you keep quantum physics. You can keep this and this truth, but when it comes to moral truth, that's what they're changing. So what's wrong for you, Shane, might not be wrong for me, and that's a lie.

So when you make a choice, the word of God is profitable for truth, for doctrine, and it's also profitable for reproof. Now today we probably wouldn't use the word reproof. We would say for absolute proof.

If you need to prove something, it goes along with truth. The word of God is absolute proof of something, of God's nature, of his character. You can look to it. What about for correction? What is correction?

Well, if something's not straight, how do you correct it? You correct it by the word of God. The word of God is meant to correct because he knows we walk like this. So the word of God comes in and it corrects, it straightens.

And that's why many times you'll see a lot of churches get away from the correction aspect and they'll just embrace the love aspect. I just talked to a person last night about a lot of churches, even in our valley, he was very discouraged because they're not talking about abortion, they're not talking about gay marriage, they're not talking about anything that upsets people.

They don't want to talk about abortion because there might be people who have had an abortion. They don't want to talk about gay marriage because there might be people struggling with that. So let's just avoid that altogether.

But the word of God comes in and it corrects. So the person who's had an abortion, let me show you where the encouragement is, and all sins have been washed away by the blood of Christ, bring those tears to the cross.

And for that person who might be considering that, or for a nation who is endorsing that, that's wrong, you need to repent. See it brings correction, it brings truth. So the person struggling with same-sex attraction, the word of God says, it doesn't matter how you were born, it just means get back to God, repent and say, Lord, this is not right, help me, help me.

See how it corrects. So when we avoid the correction aspect, you just lost a lot of the power of the word of God. Because the power of the word of God comes in the application in the correction. Woe be to the person who thinks they have everything down and they don't need the correction of God.

This book will humble a person who's been a Christian 40 years. How? It will correct their attitude. It will keep them broken before the Lord. It will keep them thinking not so highly of themselves. So the word of God is good for correction, good for doctrine, good for absolute proof, and also for instruction in righteousness.

That basically means how to live. And that's another part that people don't want to hear. Here's what the Bible says how to live. I don't want to hear that. I just want to live however I want. Well, if you're going to make choices then, your choices have to line up with scripture.

So if you're not in the word, the word won't be in you. So how are you going to make right choices if you don't even know what this says? It's impossible. So that's the first test. Does my choice, is my choice going to line up with what's already been revealed in God's word?

Biblical Wisdom Against Cultural Pressure

But the Bible often runs opposite to the culture and our flesh. That's why it's difficult. The culture will say, buy bigger, buy more. God's word says, no, be wide stewards. Don't get caught up in the things of the world.

What's the world say? They are attractive. Go for it. You look at every show right now on TV focused on young adults. It's all about attraction. I'm attracted to that person. Oh, go for it. Go for it.

You're attracted. That's a very bad reason to just go for it. Are they Robert's 31 woman? Do they have a gracious heart? Do they love the Lord? So there's nothing wrong with attraction. God gave us attraction.

But what happens is that attraction becomes the focus and they're not, are they a Christian or not? I don't know. I don't care. I'm attracted to them. But that's the message the culture sends. As long as there's an attraction.

Any relationship that's built on attraction alone falls quickly. Do you know the divorce rate in Hollywood? Enough said, right? I mean, that's because it's all built on attraction, name, status, how far will it get my career.

So let me make sure I'm not going to mislead anybody here. It's okay to be attracted to the person you're dating or courting or going to marry. It's a good thing. Not a bad thing. God-given. But don't make that decision based on attraction alone.

Actually, you should be making the decision on the word of God and let attraction follow you and not let it lead because you're letting feelings. And I hear it all the time. I just heard it from a relative of mine a couple months ago.

But I love them. We're just soulmates. Yeah, they'll become a Christian someday through my influence. Well, you just went against scripture. Because the Bible says don't be unequally yoked. Don't even consider it.

That's not an option. There's not plan B. People say, well, but God worked through my marriage. Okay, yeah, God works through those things. But don't suddenly discount scripture because you like the person.

That's a whole other sermon, too, for young adults. But get the book, right? This book. It'll walk you through it. This opportunity will bring in more money, people say often. I counsel people sometimes.

Well, but Shane, this will be more money for my family. Okay, but will it hurt your relationship with Christ? Will it take you away from your wife and your kids? And you'll, yeah, but it's more money.

No, no, no, no, no. Never make a decision on that alone. Ever. Ever. I would never say because that's the number one tool of the enemy. Lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and pride of life. Let me dangle that carrot.

And the road of history is paved with men and women making mistakes in this area. Because they follow the almighty dollar, not instead of almighty God. And he will provide when he's the focus. So you see how all this is designed to knock us off course, right?

Why, Shane, are you saying we shouldn't make more money and pray about it? No. God can open that door. But seek ye first. Where did I read that last week? The newspaper? Seek ye first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added to you?

Was that on CNN? I heard that. Where was it? We know. Right. So seek him first. And he adds these things to you, to your life. And I've just seen a lot of people make mistakes in that area. So the scriptural test doesn't line up with scripture.

That's probably the longest point because it's one of the most important. Number two, the secrecy test. Are you hiding the decision from others? Mainly believers, right? Okay, I think it's okay to hide some decisions from unbelievers.

You know, like I'm fasting. I'm seeking the Lord more. Why are you doing that? Why are you doing that? I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about if there's decisions you're making that you kind of have to do it in secret so nobody knows, there might be a red flag there.

Integrity, Counsel, and Transparency

Proverbs 11 .3, the integrity of the upright will guide them. What Proverbs is saying here, that integrity will guide you. Let me back up a little. Okay, I'm walking. I don't know what decision to make.

Well, integrity will guide me. The main thing about making biblical decisions is you're making a decision against yourself quite often. You're making a decision against the flesh. You're taking the lower road, not the higher road.

You're taking the road of humility, not self-exaltation. So you let integrity guide you. I don't know how to make this decision. What does integrity say? What does God's Word say? But the perversity, which is the twisting and the manipulating of the unfaithful, will destroy them.

Now, another thing, seeking godly counsel would fall under here. When you're seeking godly counsel, when you want somebody to tell you the truth, listen, I'm having a difficulty here speaking to my life, please paint the right picture.

Don't paint this facade that you want them to think so they'll give you the answer you want to hear and you hide about six other things because you don't want to bring that up. This happens in premarital counseling sometimes.

They'll paint this picture and picture wonderful, wonderful things and wonderful things. Okay, well, based on what you told me, I mean, it sounds pretty good. And then weeks come by like, well, what about, oh, he's this?

He struggles. He's that? I mean, he's got an addiction there and he's thinking about Christianity. He's not a Christian yet. So you don't get the paint. You've done that before, right? Don't you paint the picture you want people to believe in?

And that really will detour us from God wanting what's best by not having things in secret and bringing it to the light. Well, this would even follow underneath spouses. If you're wanting to make a choice and you're going to try to keep it a secret from your spouse, should I go spend $100 at the mall?

I'll use a charge card that I pay off where she won't know before it comes to secrecy. These are no-brainers, but we need to be reminded, don't we? You know the old saying, you're preaching to the choir.

And you know what I like to say, the choir needs a little preaching too. Not the worship team, right, just in general. I don't want you to think I'm picking them apart. But just in general, we all need to be reminded of God's truth.

The Survey Test and Christian Example

The survey test, how will others view the decision? How will others view it? 1 Timothy, let no one despise your youth but be an example to the believer in word and in conduct and love and spirit and faith and purity.

And if we had time, we could break down those to be an example in conduct. How I conduct myself, how I treat people. It's a survey test. How will others view my attitude? Because they watch your attitude, don't they?

Well, you didn't get upset when you should have at work. You didn't cuss when the hammer came down. And they're watching you in conduct and love. How do you love the fellow believers in spirit, in faith, in purity?

To be an example in purity. Now, I think it's time to take a little rabbit trail. I didn't talk about this last night. But on this issue of the purity test, the survey test, how will others view you? This mainly applies to women in what you wear, modesty.

And what type of message are you sending? And what do you accentuate? And this and this and this. And what is this? Because you know the choice, should I wear this outfit? Right? Guys don't make that choice.

But women, should I wear this outfit? Should I wear this? Well, what will others say? What would Jesus say? If you ever have questions, if you're going with Jesus to the park, would you wear that? And that's getting bigger and bigger and bigger as our culture gets more and more, I should say, further away from God.

And you see more of this in modesty. And the reason is a lot of people are starving for attention. The attention they're not getting. So they want to get that attention that they were never given. But if you take that, you give it to God, you'll get more attention spending time in His Word than you ever dreamed possible.

The Spiritual Test: Resisting the Love of the World

And you won't need to do those things. So the survey test. The next is the spiritual test. The spiritual test. This is a biggie. Who is influencing you? Who is influencing you? 1 John 2 .15. Do not love the world or the things in the world.

If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. I should clarify this for those who might not know. The word world here is cosmos. So, because people say, well, don't love the world. Your house and your car and you don't, anything.

The world's cosmos is the world's mindset. So if I love the world's mindset, the way the world thinks, you know, happy to be married for tomorrow we die. That whole thing. And just party and this whole world mindset.

If I love the things of the world and I want the things of the world, indulge here and indulge there and overspend here and this. And just indulging in the things of the world. I can't have the love of the Father in me.

I can't then pop out of that. Now I have the love of the Father. Now I'm ready to worship. You can't. They're fighting against each other. For example, women, you can't love Peter at work and Mike at home.

That's an example of a stick, right? Same thing with men. You can't love Sarah at work and Christy at home. But that's the same analogy he's using. But I'm married to this person at home. I love them.

Then when I get to work the other half of my day, I love this person. How foolish is that? That's ridiculous. That's impossible. You can't love both. God is saying the same thing. You cannot love the world and God at the same time.

Where do your affections lie? A decision has to be made. It goes back to what I said earlier. The pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The flesh says, I love the world. I love the world. But the spirit within says, I love God.

And I've got to make decisions that will foster that relationship. Just like the natural, I just said at work. Do you make provision to cheat on your spouse? Do you spend time with somebody you shouldn't?

Same thing in our relationship with God. It's the love of the world in us. Now, all of us are going to struggle with this. I hate to burst your bubble. Some of you say, I never struggle with that. Sure you do.

We all struggle with the love of the world coming in and pulling us away. God says, just get back. Make choices where God is influencing you. So regularly ask, is God truly guiding me? Truly guiding me.

The spiritual test is, who's influencing me? Is the world influencing me? So you can put your decision under the microscope of the world. Is the world guiding my decision? Or is God guiding my decision?

It's really not difficult. The reason choices are challenging is because we still love and gravitate to this side. I talked to a person who's struggling with alcohol. He's addicted and stuff. He's struggling.

Should I go to the fair? I'm like, well, Pat Benatar and a shock top booth right there is probably not a good idea. I mean, these are no brainers. Come on. Why is there such a challenge? Because the flesh.

Right? Right? Trace Adkins. You guys know what I'm talking about, right? I hope so. Nobody's like, what's he talking about? The fair. Of course you can go. But look, is this decision going to pull you back in, away from God?

Shane, this is radical. Yeah, absolutely right. That's radical. That's radical. When he says, pick up your cross, deny yourself, and follow me, that's radical. Where does this impression come in that you can love the world and look just like the world and bring Christian-ies and smiles and see we look just the same?

No, we don't. You Christian will not look the same because there's a different spirit guiding them. There's a different influence. So we need to wake up. You're not going to please everybody. You're not going to look just like all your friends on Facebook.

You're not going to look like the world. Actually, there's a clear distinction. There better be. A true follower of Jesus Christ is clearly different. And I'll recommend that book again, The Heavenly Man, that I recommend, Persecution in China.

It's about this one man's story being tortured in Chinese prison. I think I got another box sent to me. And it made me feel like, I'm a Christian? Look at this place. Eric, he's getting beat up and feces thrown on him and batons and starved to death and rats and infestation and beaten and mocked and ridiculed.

Taken through the streets with a loud speaker. This is a person against our government. Throw things at him. Let's stone him. Let's kill him. Living in that for weeks and months and months and months.

Not denying the Lord Jesus Christ. Holding tight. Yet we come in and we think. We think we've given up all. I've given up all because I can't do this anymore. Look at this big sacrifice. Just a wake-up call.

You will not look like the world. There's a difference. There should be a difference there. Now, I know other people are not far along in the journey. Shane, I'm just trying to understand this thing. That's fine.

I'm not beating you up. But I am encouraging you that you won't be able to maintain friendship with the world. And a love of God. The Bible says that the human mind, the carnal mind, is at enmity with God.

Now, if you study that word, it's not just an enemy. Because an enemy can be reconciled. The Puritans would talk about this often. It's an enmity. It's actually at war with God. It hates God. There's something in me that hates God.

That alarms me. Whatever I feed, though, becomes my master, Paul says in Romans. Whatever you feed the most, whatever you choose to obey becomes your master. And we have to get off this. We won't look like the world and look like Christ.

They just look opposite. That's why Jesus said, the world first hated me. It's going to hate you. So that begs the question, if nobody hates you, and I tell pastors, if people go to your church and you never offend, you never upset, if the world loves your church, you might want to look at how you're doing church.

Because Jesus said the world will hate us. Not because we're jerks, but because we love God so much, though, that that light blinds their eyes. They say, I hate you. Get out of my way. Get out of here.

That's what they hate. But they shouldn't hate our attitude. We should love them. But they hate what you stand for and what I stand for. And the reason this comes to play on this area of choices is we make choices to save face.

My opinion, right? What are they going to think about me? They're going to think I'm a, you know, this. And we make choices based on how the world is going to perceive us. So the spiritual test is very important.

Who is influencing you? Who is influencing you? Well, Shane, how do I know? Well, afterwards, we don't have time, maybe some other time, show me your history on your Internet. Oh, no, no, no, no, no. Show me your Facebook post.

Show me your YouTube video. Show me what you did. Can I see your record? Can you print out your record on Netflix and Voodoo and all those things? Why? Did I just make my case? You see, it's very easy.

It's very easy to know who is influencing us. Look at how you spend your time and how you spend your money. It doesn't lie because we worship. We all have a heart of worship to something. So if you wonder if the world is filling you, what does your history show?

What does your mindset show? That's what's influencing you. That's why you will not have an easy time making godly choices. Because if I'm filled with this, if I'm filled with the world, and it's time to make a choice, how am I going to make that choice?

Based on what I'm filled with, what comes out? When a vessel is struck, what is inside spills out. So if I'm watching all these things that I shouldn't, and I'm making all these choices that I shouldn't, and all these things have got a grip on my life, now when something comes up, an opportunity to do evil or to sin, where's my strength going to come from, from saying no and walking away?

Willpower. No, no, no, no. You're not as strong with your willpower as you think. Willpower will be overcome by fleshly power. Because the Bible says, Finally, brethren, whatever things are true and honest and noble, when people have moral failure, when they cheat on their spouse, you think it just happened that day, they woke up, filled with the Spirit of God, great time of prayer and worship, and I don't know what happened tonight.

How did that happen? It happened weeks and months ago. By the first open door. And then the second open door. And the third open door. And then finally, that's how, see that's what the enemy does. He walks you down one step at a time, one wrong choice at a time, one bad decision at a time, until you get to the bottom and you say, How did I get down here?

How did this happen? It started way back there weeks ago and months ago. That's how important this is, folks. It's making that right decision even when it's challenging. Because I know, I'm just like you, what I fill my mind with all the time, all the time, is what's going to dictate how I live.

Worship, Preaching, and the Influence of the Holy Spirit

It's also going to dictate how I preach. Do you think I can just be all in the world all week long and come up up here and say, God, descend upon this pulpit, give me anointing, pierce the hearts after all this world's coming in?

No, not at all. The sermon will probably sound like this. Let's turn to John. God is love and I just love God. Let me tell you a story I heard last week. And after this we're going to go paint neighborhoods.

And just cheerily, guys, you go. Your head, not the tail. Just go, man. Go team. We just love each other and next week we'll do this. And that's what it would be. Why? Because there's no spirit of God pregnant with the Word of God.

That's what preaching is. It's theology coming from a man who is on fire for God. D. Martin Lloyd-Jones said that in his book, Preachers and Preaching. He said that's all preaching is. It's theology on fire with the Word of God.

And you can't get that. That's why I'm worried. I have to fast. I have to pray. I have to spend time with God because I don't want to see what it looks like just letting it go to the other side. I've seen the other side and it's ugly.

I've been so close to hell, my clothes still smell like smoke. I mean, if I would have died in some of those situations, oh God, if it wasn't for the grace of God. So when you sing and I sing, how great is our God.

How great is our God. He saved me 10 times over and he saved you too. We need to start acting like it. We need to start, who's bored in worship? I'm tired of people being bored in worship. This is a mighty praise and worship service.

My God, help us. God, help us. It's okay to get worked up. Jesus did. And it breaks my heart when we should be the powerful people of worship, broken before the Lord, knowing God's presence flowing and tears of joy and lives being touched, healings, deliverance, people being set free, coming out of here, God, I feel so full.

I feel so full of you. But instead, we're bored to death and nothing changes. Nothing changes. The same problem today is the same problem tomorrow. Do you ever want to go, do you ever say, God, when's this going to change?

Worship me. Worship me. Get on your face before me. Worship me. And I know this isn't popular. We might lose five, six people after this type of sermon, but I don't care. I didn't come here to start a social club.

We came here to be a powerful worship service that glorifies Christ. We look to his truth. We become men and women of prayer. Where did that go? You read books 100 years ago, you'd be embarrassed. Embarrassed is what the church has become.

Bible study in the morning, two-hour prayer and worship service, worship at night. It was powerful moves of God because when revival comes, you can't keep people away from church. It's every night, every night, every night, worshiping God.

Why? Because they're filled with the Spirit of God. That's who's influencing them. I can tell who's influencing you by the way you worship, by how much time you spend in prayer, by how much time you spend in the Word of God.

And I believe God is wanting to correct us in this area. Myself included. I could be sitting right there, right there going, oh, Lord, help me become more of a worshiper. Oh, absolutely. See, it's a very good thing to say, God, I don't worship you enough.

I don't pray enough. I'm not in your Word enough because the person who says, I'm in it enough, I got this down, you're in trouble. The more legalistic a person becomes, the more they're susceptible to failure because they guard and guide with rules and regulations.

So just be careful. I would encourage you more than anything to allow the Holy Spirit to guide you. And I'm not afraid. See, in some circles, they don't talk about this kind of stuff. Well, Jesus said, when you go, when I go, the Comforter will come.

He will lead you into all truth. He will ignite a heart of worship. He is an ever-present help. The Holy Spirit directed Paul. He directed Peter. He filled Jesus Christ after his baptism so he was ready for ministry.

This ever-present help in a time of need is something we neglect because we don't want to talk about him because of some weird guy on TV. And I'm not going to let them rob us of the Holy Spirit's power and anointing.

He comes in this place, the presence of God. You wouldn't get out of here without a Kleenex or two because he's convicting and he's drawing. I like what Leonard Ravenhill said. We need to close down every church in America for one Sunday and stop listening to man so we can sit and listen and hear the groans of the Spirit which we in our lush pews have forgotten.

I don't even know where I was. Guys, I believe that's what God's wanting for all churches. We've got it down. We've got church down. We know when to come. We know where to sit. We know when to leave. We know how many songs.

We just got it down. There's nothing wrong with having a plan. I believe God blesses a plan. I'm not one of those guys who can say, I don't know what I'm going to preach on. I'll find out Sunday morning.

I mean, I've got a stew on it. I've got to resonate. I've got to read books. I've got to sing worship songs and just get my heart in what he's trying to tell. So there's nothing wrong with planning. God will bless a planned person.

But I've got to get through this. I'm only halfway done. The motives test. The motives test. I added this one. This is not from the handout. What is your motive? We're going to get a little honest right here.

It's going to hurt. It's okay. It's time to step on toes again as if the last segment didn't. This will as well. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.

Examining Motives Before Acting

If you're pursuing or making choices solely to impress others or financial gain, you are on the wrong path. Well, Shane, how do I evaluate motives? Glad you asked. Here's how. Would you go on a missions trip, visit the sick, go to the hospital homes, give money, or help the homeless even if no one knew?

Because that's how you evaluate motives. Would you sing on the praise and worship team if you had to sing from that back room and not the center stage? Oh, no, I wouldn't do that. Well, then where's your heart?

Who are you singing for? Would you be in leadership if you were not recognized and applauded for your efforts? Would I still do this if I was not applauded and recognized for my efforts? Now, I get enough negative feedback to offset the positive feedback, but it's a question we have to ask.

We have to ask often, would I still do these things if no one knew, if only God knew? So if you're going to make a choice, a fairly big choice or significant choice because you're trying to impress others or trying to impress your dad who you've been trying to impress for 30 years, you might be on the wrong path because you have to...