Self is the spring of everything, and not God, so if there is righteousness in the things of men, righteousness in the things of God is altogether left out, and God must call that horrid unrighteousness which is called honor in the world.
We should be thankful for government, but when the young man in the Gospel came to Jesus and said, “Speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me,” He replied, “Who made Me a judge or a divider?” He leaves the question of right according to man (for it was right that he should have that which belonged to him) and shows what is under the surface: “Beware of covetousness.”
The Lord is our pattern in everything, and when the Lord is the pattern, it detects the motives of the heart. The one desired to have it; the other desired not to give it up. Take care that the motive and spring of conduct is God and not self. There He strikes at the principles of covetousness; there must be that state of heart in which God is the spring of the will. (See 1 John 2:2929If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him. (1 John 2:29).)
J. N. Darby (from Gems From My Reading)