What is it about social media that compels people to brag about their follies? The BBC News service compiled a list of criminals who were laughably foolish in their antics. Predictably, alcohol figured in a number of incidents, but a surprising number of crooks just can’t resist boasting about their exploits for the entire world to view. Benjamin Robinson and Daniel Hutchinson stole thousands from gambling machines in England— but they also posted photos of themselves. In Norfolk, England, Andrew Hennells posted a selfie with a knife and the caption, “Doing. Tesco. Over.” Minutes later he was arrested with over $500 and the knife, having robbed a Tesco supermarket.

Logan James was wanted for parole violation when he noticed a police Facebook appeal for information about him. He commented, “Haha catch me if you can you wont see me slipping.” They could and they did later the same day, thanking him for drawing attention to their efforts. Ashley Keast used a stolen SIM card to snap a photo of himself burgling a house, then uploaded the picture to Whatsapp® but accidentally sent the photo to colleagues of the burglary victim. Officers met him at his house where the loot was discovered. And it’s not just the UK. One of our own, “Chip” Pugh of Lima, Ohio, texted police a better photo of himself, complaining that the one on the arrest warrant made him look like “James Brown on the run.” He was picked up in Florida. These are people who seem to be proud of what should make them ashamed.

“Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body” (Philippians 3:19-21 NIV).

I suppose these—and others—publicize their illicit exploits because they think somehow their rebellious acts are thrilling and admirable. They think it’s glorious to be outrageous. Yet the people who are truly admirable, who are celebrated and blessed and thanked over and over, are those who sacrifice for the good of others. Creative teachers make even distance learning fun and interesting. Honor guards at the Tomb of the Unknowns march their unrelenting post heedless of weather and coronavirus hysteria. Low-level technicians pull overtime in obscure research facilities developing treatments and cures. Truckers pound mind-numbing miles of concrete delivering daily bread. And they don’t post selfies.

Our glory isn’t something that depends on photos and self-promotion. As followers of Jesus Christ, we just go to work and do our duty in the best way we know how. Observing that God works within our labors, songwriter Paul Overstreet once wrote, “Sometimes just going to work is the most important thing you can do.” As citizens of the kingdom of heaven, we look forward to the ultimate makeover, the final redemption of our bodies so that we will forever be like our Savior, Jesus Christ. And that day will show the triumph of goodness and the eternal glory of lowly people serving the exalted God.