Seeking the praise of men rather than the praise of God signals that the world is regaining influence and drawing a person back from the process of transformation. Those who already believe yet withhold confession because they value human approval over divine approval demonstrate that such desire prevents full commitment to the way of life required by God. The same pattern appears when a believer who has already been called begins to place greater weight on the opinions of the uncalled than on the approval that comes from God alone. This shift reverses the required direction of change, because the mind is no longer being renewed according to the image of the Creator but is instead returning to the mold the world imposes. Scripture states that true circumcision of the heart produces praise that originates with God, not with men, and that continued effort to please men disqualifies one from remaining a bondservant of Christ. The example of Daniel, who continued to pray openly to God despite the threat of death, illustrates the choice that must be made: loyalty to God's commands takes precedence over any fear of human disapproval. When the desire for worldly praise reappears, it reveals that old habits of thought and conduct are reasserting themselves against the sanctification that God requires.

The Model Prayer centers on God the Father, His holiness, His name, His Kingdom, His will, His power, His glory, and His eternity, along with requests for daily providence, forgiveness, guidance, and deliverance. Jesus commands His disciples to approach prayer with an attitude that places all attention on these divine attributes rather than on personal reputation or public display. Prayers offered expressly to be seen by others are denounced as hypocritical because they seek human praise and recognition. Similarly, repetitious or mechanical recitations are condemned as heathen practices that render prayer meaningless and ineffective. Instead, the proper desire in prayer is to praise God, to thank Him, to seek His help for others and oneself, and to return again to praise and thanksgiving. This orientation keeps the focus on the divine Governor of the Universe and away from self-gratification or glory. A humble and contrite spirit that trembles at His word fulfills the intent of the Model Prayer, drawing the one who prays closer to God and fostering the character essential to Christian life and the Kingdom of God.