Why is it that one who pursues honor - honor flees from him [quoted by the Maharal and others]? We don't find this about anything else - for example, that one who pursues money, money flees from him. I know people who pursue money and seem to be really good at attaining it.
Explains Maran Rosh Hayeshiva ztz"l: One who needs honor from others is not deserving of honor. The Gemara says that an adult who is dependent on others is really a child [גדול הסומך על שלחן אחרים קטן הוא]. One who needs honor has lowered himself to the point where he is not deserving of it. Therefore it runs away from him.
[I must note that this is not a מאמר חז"ל and it would seem that there are people who pursue honor and receive it... But they certainly don't deserve it!]
For how this figures in to our Avodas Hashem - HERE!! [Hebrew]
