Pride Stinks

My mother used to have a phrase when she was alive, usually referring to me or my attitude when I thought I had done something noteworthy. She& sometimes& used& it& when& describing somebody, anybody who started acting like they were better than someone else or felt& their& No.& 2& didn’t& stink.& She& used& to& say& that& person& was ‘smelling& him or herself.’& kids called it showing off.& The Bible says unless your deeds are done to glorify God rather than yourself, you are smelling yourself, and you better be careful because, spiritually, you’re in deep water.“Be careful not to do your acts of righteousness before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 6:1). It appears that intent and motivation dictate a person’s true character and how God views him or her.& Doing& the& right& thing& for& the& wrong reason& gets& you& nothing.& I& mean,& supposedly,& if you are trying to impress friends and family or achieve honors& from your fellow man for doing good deeds to smell yourself, then you’re probably on a path sorely in need of some Right Guard. The point of doing what you...