a cup of cold water

I think we often feel the more we are doing, the more we are becoming like Jesus.  The more and more spiritual accomplishments we achieve, the more we are climbing the ladder of Christianity.  And the more works we complete, the better we have become.

In Matthew 5-7, Jesus criticizes those who pray, those who give to the poor, and those seeking to live according to the Word of God due to the motives of their hearts.

If you ever start to think you are achieving something in the Kingdom of God, you must not look at what you’ve accomplished but rather what you’ve done when your door is closed, who you are to your neighbors you’ve never met, and how you respond when your enemy needs a cup of cold water.  Then we will know.