Good Works: Did You See That?
"Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
(—Matthew 6:1 NKJV)
When was the last time you were recognized for a good deed?
Perhaps a coworker gave you public praise for your assistance on a big project...
Maybe a neighbor brought over some cookies as a thank-you for helping her plant a garden...
Maybe a family member offered a hug as a reward for your work preparing a meal...
Or perhaps a pastor acknowledged you for your tireless volunteer efforts in a charity drive...
It’s invigorating to be praised for a good deed. Encouraging words provide fuel for meeting the next challenges.
It’s great to feel good about doing something of value. Like the praise of others, that good feeling is a here-and-now reward for your deeds.
The notables in Jesus’ day did lots of good works.
Many of them were in the good-works business primarily to earn the praise of others.
They wanted to hear how good they were, how outstanding their good deeds were.
They did good works only for the praise and the good feelings. In doing so, they missed out on another kind of reward—a reward that can be yours, too, with the right heart attitude—praise from God.
Jesus probably stunned his audience when he said that if they were doing good in exchange for applause from others, they shouldn’t count on a reward from God. Wow. What a statement.
Notice that Jesus did not say that if they couldn’t do good without seeking applause, don’t do it.
He acknowledged that good works are good works no matter what the intent.
But He made it perfectly clear that if you do the good works quietly, working for the benefit of others rather than to get a lead story on the five o’clock news, you’ll get a unique and particularly personal reward from God.
This will come in God’s time. When you do good works, enjoy the good feeling you get. If you also receive the praise of others, relish that too.
But always keep your focus on the people you’re helping and not on what you hope to gain.
Seek your emotional reward from helping a child, doing a good turn for your neighbor, lending a helping hand to a local missions group, visiting older folks whose children may live in another state.
With those actions, you’ll get an even greater reward someday from God, which is surely something to look forward to.
Reverend Calvin Wyatt /email: /calvincosmo30@gmail.com /calvincosmo@facebook.com.
"Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
(—Matthew 6:1 NKJV)
When was the last time you were recognized for a good deed?
Perhaps a coworker gave you public praise for your assistance on a big project...
Maybe a neighbor brought over some cookies as a thank-you for helping her plant a garden...
Maybe a family member offered a hug as a reward for your work preparing a meal...
Or perhaps a pastor acknowledged you for your tireless volunteer efforts in a charity drive...
It’s invigorating to be praised for a good deed. Encouraging words provide fuel for meeting the next challenges.
It’s great to feel good about doing something of value. Like the praise of others, that good feeling is a here-and-now reward for your deeds.
The notables in Jesus’ day did lots of good works.
Many of them were in the good-works business primarily to earn the praise of others.
They wanted to hear how good they were, how outstanding their good deeds were.
They did good works only for the praise and the good feelings. In doing so, they missed out on another kind of reward—a reward that can be yours, too, with the right heart attitude—praise from God.
Jesus probably stunned his audience when he said that if they were doing good in exchange for applause from others, they shouldn’t count on a reward from God. Wow. What a statement.
Notice that Jesus did not say that if they couldn’t do good without seeking applause, don’t do it.
He acknowledged that good works are good works no matter what the intent.
But He made it perfectly clear that if you do the good works quietly, working for the benefit of others rather than to get a lead story on the five o’clock news, you’ll get a unique and particularly personal reward from God.
This will come in God’s time. When you do good works, enjoy the good feeling you get. If you also receive the praise of others, relish that too.
But always keep your focus on the people you’re helping and not on what you hope to gain.
Seek your emotional reward from helping a child, doing a good turn for your neighbor, lending a helping hand to a local missions group, visiting older folks whose children may live in another state.
With those actions, you’ll get an even greater reward someday from God, which is surely something to look forward to.
Reverend Calvin Wyatt /email: /calvincosmo30@gmail.com /calvincosmo@facebook.com.
EMP0WERMENT
For
Good Works
I Will...
Understand that my real reward for doing good comes from God.
Seek to do good works for the purpose of helping others.
Admit that it feels pretty good to be acknowledged for doing good.
Understand that it’s okay not to be noticed for good work I’ve done.
Be patient until the day when God rewards my good deeds.
Thank God for the desire to be charitable toward others.
Things to Do...
Ask God to lead you to opportunities for doing good works.
Read the book of James to see what the Bible has to soy about works and faith.
List ways in which God might reward you for doing good without expectation of earthly accolades.
Think of one good deed you can do for a family member or friend without that person knowing. Then do it.
Contact someone who’s done a good deed for you and give praise to him or her.
Make a mental list of some of your good works and consider how you were (or weren’t) recognized for those works.
Things to Remember...
If Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.
(ROMANS 4:2 NKJV)
These things I have told you are all true. Insist on them so that Christians will be careful to do good deeds all the time, for this is not only right, but it brings results.
(TITUS 3:8 TLB)
We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (EPHESIANS 2:10 NKJV)
Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for its services!
(NEHEMIAH 13:14 NKJV)
Let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
(GALATIANS 6:4 NKJV)
"It is lamentable, that we should live so long in the world, and do so little for God, or that we should live so short a time in the world, and do so much for Satan." —THE REVEREND WILLIAM SECKER
"Everyone knows that it is much harder to turn word into deed than deed into word." —MAXIM GORKY
Understand that my real reward for doing good comes from God.
Seek to do good works for the purpose of helping others.
Admit that it feels pretty good to be acknowledged for doing good.
Understand that it’s okay not to be noticed for good work I’ve done.
Be patient until the day when God rewards my good deeds.
Thank God for the desire to be charitable toward others.
Things to Do...
Ask God to lead you to opportunities for doing good works.
Read the book of James to see what the Bible has to soy about works and faith.
List ways in which God might reward you for doing good without expectation of earthly accolades.
Think of one good deed you can do for a family member or friend without that person knowing. Then do it.
Contact someone who’s done a good deed for you and give praise to him or her.
Make a mental list of some of your good works and consider how you were (or weren’t) recognized for those works.
Things to Remember...
If Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.
(ROMANS 4:2 NKJV)
These things I have told you are all true. Insist on them so that Christians will be careful to do good deeds all the time, for this is not only right, but it brings results.
(TITUS 3:8 TLB)
We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (EPHESIANS 2:10 NKJV)
Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for its services!
(NEHEMIAH 13:14 NKJV)
Let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
(GALATIANS 6:4 NKJV)
"It is lamentable, that we should live so long in the world, and do so little for God, or that we should live so short a time in the world, and do so much for Satan." —THE REVEREND WILLIAM SECKER
"Everyone knows that it is much harder to turn word into deed than deed into word." —MAXIM GORKY
A Clarion Call:
If you have not yet received the Lord Jesus into your life, or you once received Him but backslid, make yourself available of this opportunity and pray this prayer: There is no degree of sin the Lord cannot blot out. Do not postpone, for tomorrow may be too late.
Father I come before you as a sinner (Romans 3:23)
I sincerely repent of my sins (Acts 3:19)
I believe that Jesus died and was resurrected to grant me salvation
(John 3:16)
Today, as I receive Him into my heart by faith, grant me grace,
not to go back to my old sinful ways (Proverbs 28:13)
Thank you Lord for saving me.
