Good Works Glorify God
Matthew 5:16 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
The verse right before this one tells us not to put our light under a bushel. Do you remember the song we used to sing as children in church? It went like this, “Hide it under a bushel, no, I’m going to let it shine.”
The light, of course, is our salvation. We have been born again, so “our light” has been turned on. How do we let our salvation light shine? We do it before men by doing good works.
What are those good works? Sharing the gospel. Feeding the hungry. Clothing the naked. Visiting a prisoner. All those things Jesus said, “If you have done these things to the least of these, you have done it unto me.”
How else do we let our good works shine? Everything we do, we do it unto the Lord. When we have given a child a drink of water, Jesus said, “You have done it unto me, and you will not lose your reward.” If we are good to people by doing things for them, by taking care of them, especially people of the household of faith, we are doing the works of the Lord.
Even when Jesus did miracles, the disciples were often involved in some of the “natural” parts of them. They had the people sit down in 50s and 100s. Then the bread and fishes were multiplied as they took them to the people. The servants filled up the water pots, and when they drew out the water and took it to the governor of the feast, the water had turned into wine.
When we do our part, when we do those good works that the Lord has ordained for us to do, then miracles in the lives of people can happen. Whatever the Lord tells you to do to bless someone, just do it.
When you serve at church, when you do good to a believer, when you help an unbeliever, you are using your grace to serve God. If we all use the grace we have been given, then the last part of the verse will happen corporately, and individually we will be glorifying our Father in Heaven.
Let’s do it so our Father will be glorified!