SPEAKING TRUTH: Doing good for the right reasons

“Is it not right to help the needy? It is not good to go to church and to pray? Sure it is! Jesus commands us to, but He also warns about doing them in order to be seen by others.”

Have you seen pictures of athletes, elected officials or other celebrities serving meals for the homeless? In our world today, it is so easy to take a picture or video of yourself or friends doing something good, and then instantly, everyone knows about it.

Jesus once said, “… I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.” (Matthew 25:35-36)

Then He followed that up with, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” (Matt. 25:40)

Without question, Jesus wants people to help the needy, as well as, to be part of a church and seek Him in prayer.

Jesus also said, “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:1)

Practicing righteousness is simply doing what is right, wise and good; like the things Jesus laid out. Is it not right to help the needy? It is not good to go to church and to pray?

Sure it is!

Jesus commands us to, but also warns about doing them in order to be seen by others.

This refers to the desire to be acknowledged. We may want to be thanked, talked about, have a picture or video taken of us or have something typed up on social media or a blog post about our experience.

Jesus states, if that is what we want, that is what we will get. And that will be considered our reward for doing good.

However, Jesus also points out, if that is what we are after, we will not be rewarded from God. Jesus makes it clear, we cannot pursue being be seen and rewarded by both man and God; it is one or the other.

Jesus gives us instruction in how to pursue being rewarded and accepted by God.

He says, “… when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you …” (Matt. 6:2), and “… do not let your left hand know what your right hand and is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Matt. 6:4)

Jesus is illustrating, how we should not make doing good about ourselves, where it becomes all about us. He is teaching that when we do good, we should do so with a humble and servant-like heart. We are to serve with an understanding that we live for an audience of one, for His glory and praise alone and no one else’s.

The point Jesus is making, is at the heart of what it means to be a Christian.

Here is the underlying principle He taught to anyone who wanted to follow Him, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)

When it comes to doing righteous or good deeds, we are to deny the inner urge to be seen by others. Instead, we are to take up our cross and do all, not for the glory of self, but for the glory of God.

Are we to never speak of the good we do? It may sound that way, but that is not what Jesus is teaching. When we are seen by others doing good, and have an opportunity to share, we should lower ourselves and lift up Christ. We are to decrease, that He may increase. No glory to us. All glory to God.

A prayer for you: “Lord God, compel us to go out today and do good. Let us love our neighbor and serve them with humble and grateful hearts. But let us do so, not for the praise of others, but for the glory of God. We confess we have done things to be seen by others. We repent of our sin, take up our cross and follow you with all our heart this day.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.”

Clint Decker is President of Great Awakenings. Please share your comment with Clint at cdecker@greatawakenings.org and follow his blog at clintdecker.blogspot.com.