Why do we do what we do?
It’s a question that lives underneath every act of kindness, every gesture of generosity, and every moment we choose to help someone else. Does your charity require credit? Does your kindness need an audience? When you hold the door for someone, is it from the quiet goodness of your heart — or because it feels good to be seen as courteous?
In The Seat of the Soul, Gary Zukav writes about intent — the true engine behind every action. God doesn’t judge only what you do, He weighs why you do it. Motive is the birthplace of spirituality.
Scripture makes this crystal clear:
“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them.”
— Matthew 6:1
And again, Jesus warns:
“When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites... they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others.”
— Matthew 6:5
In today’s world, we call this virtue signaling. The desire to look good can overshadow the desire to be good. You see it everywhere — the polished posts about charity events, the selfies taken during volunteer work, the careful announcements about how much we “care” about immigrants, justice, equality. But God is not impressed by public displays meant to boost our image.
God sees the heart, not the hashtag.
Do you care about people — truly? Or do you care about how you appear when you talk about caring?
That’s the hard question this devotional asks of me, not anyone else. I have to sit with God and ask:
Am I doing this for You, or for me?
Am I serving others, or serving my ego?
Would I still do this if no one knew but Heaven?
The truth is simple:
God doesn’t care about your posts. He cares about your devotion.
He cares about the intent that only your soul and His eyes can see.
Handing out turkeys at Thanksgiving, giving to the homeless, supporting a cause — if it’s posted for attention, you’ll get your likes, your clicks, the dopamine of applause. That’s your reward. Temporary. Earthly.
But the quiet, unannounced acts?
The gifts given in secret?
The kindness unseen by anyone except God?
Those echo in eternity.
Because your soul knows the difference.
And so does He.
