Kesubos 67a - Tzedaka for Kavod

The gemara gives 2 explanations why Nakdiman Ben Guryon lost all his money despite the fact that he gave tzedaka: 1. He gave primarly (or maybe solely) for the sake of his honor. 2. He didn't give according to his ability. The Maharsha is medayek that the first answer seems to indicate that even if he would give according to his ability, if his intention was for the purpose of kavod, he would not have properly fulfilled the mitzvah. The Maharsha asks, why not? Don't we recommend giving tzedaka even for other motives such as pesachim 8b - if one gives tzedaka for the zechus that his son should live he is a tzadik gamur, here too even if his intent was for kavod, he should be considered a tzadik? Perhaps this can be answered based on what Tosafos says (pesachim 8b) that he would only be a tzadik gamur if he would not regret doing the mitzvah even if his son did not live, similarly here it could be that nakdimon gave tzedaka only for kavod and would not have given if he did not receive the kavod, therefore it is worse than the "so that my son will live". The question from ma'aser for the purpose of becoming rich can be answered simply by saying that it only applies to ma'aser but not to all tzedaka (see pischei teshuva at the beginning of hilchos tzedaka).

The maharsha answers that although most "shelo li'shma's" are encouraged, when it is done for kavod (honor) it is worse. The understanding is that "shelo li'shma" means for ulterior motives which are not bad and not good, but for the purpose of kavod is actually detrimental. The maharsha proves this point from Tosafos Pesachim 50b who indicates that kavod would be a harmful form of "shelo li'shma" and we would not encourage one to do mitzvos for the sake of kavod.