My neighborhood in Uganda was relatively quiet until a businessman disrupted our peace by opening an outdoor bar across the street from my home. Now loud music blares the entire night, with the bar owner refusing to consider the residents he’s disturbing. He tells us that he’s a good man, and since he gives money to the poor people shouldn’t complain.
Those of us experiencing sleepless nights find the man’s self-proclaimed “good works” easy to ignore. We aren’t charmed by the fact that he does some things that appear to be altruistic.
My neighbor’s inconsistencies have caused me to think about my own life. Is it possible that for every good thing I’ve done for one person I’ve said or done something unkind to someone else? I don’t know the ratio of my good to bad deeds, but I do know that God is greatly concerned about my motive for doing good deeds. Jesus said, “Watch out! Don’t do your good deed publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven” (Matthew 6:1).
Now, God instructs us to be “generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others” (1 Timothy 6:18). He wants us to sacrificially help and serve others, as He has done for us. But the purpose is to bring Him glory, not to simply make ourselves look good to God or others (Colossians 3:23). For if our good deeds made us acceptable to God, then we would have something to boast about. But that isn’t God’s way (Romans 4:2).
With hearts changed by God’s grace, may we let our “good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise [our] heavenly Father” (Matthew 5:16). That’s why we do good things.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Mark 6:14-29
More:
Look up “deeds” in a concordance and list the types of deeds the Bible refers to. See Romans 8:13 and 2 Corinthians 4:2, 9:9.
Next:
Why is it important to know that we’ve been saved by grace and that good deeds should naturally flow from our relationship with God? How can we bring Him glory today by doing good things?
bacher468 on July 16, 2013 at 8:03 am
Roxanne,
Thank you for the devotional. One thing I have always had difficulty with though was reconciling this with the following verses in Matthew 5:
14 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.
Can you or any of the other contributors offer their thoughts and guidance? Thanks
tom felten on July 16, 2013 at 9:18 am
bacher468, this note from the NLT Study Bible, focused on the message of Matthew 5:14-16, should prove helpful: “The disciples’ good deeds will have profoundly positive effects on the world around them, to the glory of God. With this comes a warning from Jesus: Do nothing that might jeopardize that positive impact.”
prayalways on July 16, 2013 at 10:20 am
bacher468,
Reading back on first scripture highlighted it makes a distinction based on your heart, in whether your actions…good deeds…are done for your own admiration from the public. Where in Matt 5:16 the hearts goal is to bring glory to God through good deeds. All praise will be given to our heavenly Father not to ourselves. Which is why we need to “Watch out!”
thanks for making me think about it as well!
Sarah C on July 16, 2013 at 8:39 pm
prayalways, I think you’re quite right in implying that people want to look good to others because they want to look good to themselves in the first place .
Wiggy on July 16, 2013 at 8:59 pm
Being light and salt in a world gone bad [Matt 5:13-16] is to continue the mission of God’s prophets in this world [Matt 5:12; Compare Php 2:14-16]: Elijah spoke out against the wickedness of Ahab and Jezebel as well as bringing a widow and her son back from death’s door in a pagan land. Elisha, his successor also did miracles from God which were deeds of healing and kindness – deeds accompanied by fearless condemnation of the evil and idolatry in the royal house of Israel [See 2 Kings ch. 3 for an excellent example.]. The disciple’s spoken message must go hand-in-hand with what he or she does for others – fine words without love in action towards our neighbours equals hollow hypocrisy. The aim of the disciple’s words and deeds should be that God is honoured in His world [Compare 1 Pe 2:12; 3:13-16].
The opening section of Matt ch. 6 again insists that being salt and light in the world is work done and words spoken for God’s honour and glory – not done or spoken in a search for personal popularity in the community. What is done and said in secret will never remain eternally secret [Matt 10:26-28]!
roxanne robbins on July 17, 2013 at 12:32 am
Bacher468, As I consider your question I find my focus zooming in on verse 16 that says were to let people see our good deeds “so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” If people are praising God as they see the works we’re part of, I think that’s a good thing. If people are questioning our motives and thinking we’re helping other to bring glory to ourselves then I think we need to ask God to search our ways and help us understand how we can better give Him the credit for our lives and “good deeds.”
6In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.
bacher468 on July 21, 2013 at 12:27 pm
Sorry it took so long to respond but thank you to everyone for your input. I have a hard time sometimes myself in determining whether I’m doing a good deed for the sake of the deed itself or for more selfish reasons, whether it’s to make myself look good to someone, or to prevent a feeling of guilt or make me feel good about myself. Thanks again for all your help everybody!
winn collier on July 22, 2013 at 5:25 pm
I’ve noticed that whenever I start thinking too much about my goodness (from either angle, either proud of myself or beating myself up), something goes catty-wompas (that’s a very technical theological term).