October 24, 2025

 As a pastor, it’s really easy for me to put a lot of emphasis on my outward behavior. I want people to “see” me doing good or being a “good person.” While that sounds like the right thing to do, the problem is that I’m putting the emphasis on the wrong thing. God doesn’t want just outward obedience; He’s wanting inward transformation. He’s wanting what’s happening on the outside to match what’s happening on the inside.

As we’ve been going through the Sermon on the Mount, this idea has been working on me. Jesus is challenging those of us who work so hard to make sure our life looks the right way, while all the while our inside hasn’t been changed.

I catch myself doing this more than I’d like to admit. Sometimes I’ll walk into a hospital room and want to say the “right” thing instead of being fully present. Or I’ll post a picture from a serve day because I want to encourage others—but deep down, I know I also want people to see that I’m doing something meaningful. None of those things are bad on the surface. The problem is when I care more about being seen doing good than being shaped into someone good.

Jesus warned about this exact thing. In Matthew 6:1, He says, “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.”

In Jesus’ day, the religious culture valued public displays of devotion—long prayers, loud giving, and visible fasting. These acts weren’t wrong; they just missed the point when the goal became reputation instead of relationship.

I’ll never forget a moment that helped me see how subtle that temptation can be. Around 2010, I was at a church conference, and there was a vendor giving out free T-shirts. They were promoting their new online giving platform, and the shirts said in big bold letters, “I GAVE ONLINE.”

At first, I laughed. But then I thought about it—and it hit close to home. Because I know what it feels like when the offering plate is passed and I don’t drop anything in. Even if I already gave online, there’s that quick, quiet thought: What are people thinking about me right now? Do they think I’m not giving?

That shirt was funny because it exposed something true. We all deal with this desire to be seen doing the right thing. We want people to know we’re generous, faithful, devoted. But Jesus is warning us that when our motive becomes managing appearances, we lose sight of the real purpose of these practices—to connect our hearts to God, not our reputation to others.

It’s easy to fall into that trap. We may not blow trumpets when we give to the church, but we might curate our image of faith online. We might volunteer because we feel guilty, pray so others think we’re spiritual, or lead with a smile while carrying frustration inside. Jesus isn’t calling us to hide our faith; He’s calling us to live from the inside out—so what people see is an honest reflection of what’s real in our hearts.

That’s the difference between behavior and formation. Behavior focuses on trying harder. Formation focuses on becoming different. You can behave your way into appearing spiritual, but you can’t fake your way into becoming like Jesus.

At White Oak, we talk about Formation as being formed into the image of Christ for the sake of others. That means this isn’t just about being good people—it’s about being transformed people. The world doesn’t need more Christians trying to look holy; it needs followers of Jesus who are being shaped into His likeness through the power of the Spirit.

There’s a big difference between trying and training. I can’t just try to run a marathon tomorrow. I’d have to train for it—mile by mile, day by day, building habits that change what my body can do. The same is true for faith. You can’t just try to have patience or generosity or love. You train for it through practices like prayer, Sabbath, serving, confession, and solitude. These aren’t checkboxes to prove devotion—they’re spaces where God reshapes us from the inside out.

When God begins that inner work, it always shows up outwardly. The fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience—aren’t things you perform. They’re the natural result of a heart that’s being made whole. Transformation isn’t about pretending to have it all together. It’s about surrendering what’s broken so God can align who we are with who He’s calling us to become.

So here’s the invitation this week: Instead of trying to look more like Jesus, ask Him to help you become more like Him. Take a few minutes each day to sit quietly and pray, “God, make the inside of me match the outside.” Ask Him to reveal where you’ve been performing rather than transforming.

Because when our hearts are being formed by Christ, our lives begin to reflect His light. Our obedience stops being performance—and becomes participation in His transforming work in the world.

Kevin Smith

Colerain Campus Pastor

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