1 Corinthians 10:31-33
“31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for God’s glory. 32 Give no offense to the Jews or the Greeks or the church of God, 33 just as I also try to please all people in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.”

Glorifying God, according to Paul in 1 Corinthians, is the point of our lives–we should act and speak in ways that help the light of Christ shine out from us to other people. Not “giving offense,” or causing others to falter in their faith, is part of raising other Christians up and bringing salvation to those who are not Christians yet. Working for the common good, being unselfish and caring about others’ well-being above our own, is another way we glorify God. (Note: “pleasing all people” in verse 33 does not mean making others temporarily happy with gifts or false words, but giving them permanent joy by serving them because God loves them, too.)

The part of verse 33 about “not seeking my own profit” is especially salient in our society today. So much of what we do is based upon what recompense we get, and glorifying God through our works and lives is not usually high on the list of lucrative things to do. (Sometimes we can even get caught up in that same worldly attitude when we work for the church–a danger in itself!) But what better profit could we as Christians have than to know that we have touched someone else’s life and given them the knowledge of Jesus?