Matthew 5:16 NKJV – ‘Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.’
Growing up, my mother would always tell me “it’s good to be good.” I’d always agree because I recognized that doing good led to receiving something good: recognition from peers, money, or favor. As a child, I didn’t understand the depth of her claim. I only cared for the rewards that my good works brought me. 1 Corinthians 13:11 says, “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.”
Now, I understand my mother’s statement in a different way. In reality, the good works we do are not meant to bring glory to us. They are meant to bring glory to God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” and Romans 11:36 says, “For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.”
It’s important that we remember these truths so that we do not fall into the trap of forgetting about God as we do good things on this earth. Our reference scripture for today teaches us that our good works are to glorify God and lead others to do the same. It’s a call to evangelism! To not attribute our works back to God is to not carry out this call to evangelism.
Therefore, as we go through our lives, let us make every effort to attribute our good works back to God who is our source for every need under the sun. In doing so, we cause others to take notice and be led to glorify Him for the rest of their days as well.
PRAYER: Lord, help me to let the light that You have placed in me to shine before others so that the good I do will cause them to glorify You. Purify my heart so that I will seek to do good and bring glory to You rather than myself because I truly understand that You are worthy. In Jesus’ name. Amen.