DO GOOD

Trust in the Lord, and do good, dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.

(Psalm 37:3, NKJV)

When we think or speak about another person, we tend to speak of something they have done or something that they have spoken.  We get to know one another from how we experience them ourselves or how others have experienced them, through their actions or through their words. While everything we do comes from a point of intention, our intention is hidden from the view of others until we act on it or speak about it.  Listening to tributes being given about an individual, the writer or speaker usually focuses on the good side of the other person and waters down experiences which were not so good.  This tells us that people choose to know each other from a point of good while often excusing the bad.  How we experience each other determines the impact and the memory that we leave behind or are we carry of others.  This suggests to me that there is a choice that each one of us can make, hopefully with an intention to leave a positive impact so that people do not have to lie about our lives and actions.

As believers our greatest work of faith happens within our hearts, and we are the only ones who truly know what we have going on, the hope that we carry and the commitment that we make to be more like our Lord Jesus Christ.  While this inside job is the essence of our faith, our reference verse above asks us not only to trust in God but also to do good.  When we trust in God, we rest in His faithfulness and learn to find His peace even when the outside circumstances suggest otherwise.  Prophet Isaiah rightly reminds us that our strength is in quietness and trust (Isaiah 30:15), so indeed, there is great value in being silent and rested in our faith, it is our confidence.   Our reference verse calls us not only to trust in God but also to do good, it captures the internal working of faith as well as an external expression of the same.  Beloved, that tells me that there needs to be an externally recognized corresponding element of our faith and trust in God. 

Jesus our Lord is recorded to have done good wherever He went (Acts 10:38).  He faced different people and at times the resistance to what He taught and even to His presence was severe, yet we are informed that He never failed to do good wherever He went, He had a reputation of doing good to those that He met.  This sets the model of what our lives need to emulate.  Our faith in God is also meant to be seen by others through our actions, and in so doing, others get to experience the mercies of God expressed through us.  There are individuals renowned in the world for their acts of philanthropy and their fame goes beyond the boundaries of their localities.  The world recognizes these people for the singular reason that they have done some good to others.  Brethren, I submit that it is not the amount of money that one has that makes others recognize him as doing good, but it is the heart that he carries.  If as believers we have the heart of our Father which cares for the hurting world, we will do good in the areas of our influence, at times, it is just to give an individual a hug, a smile, an understanding heart.  There is a lot we can do to impact the world around.  James calls us to be people of both faith and works and admonishes us that faith without actions is dead (James 2:14-16).  It is not enough for us to just have faith and fail to meet the material needs of others when it is in our power to do so.  Jesus reminded us that we are the light of the world, our faith in Him makes us a light that others can draw from, and so He says, we need to let our light shine so that through our good works others will glorify the Father (Matthew 5:14-16).  Our love for Jesus will be known by others through our actions, they read our lives and get to see and experience the light that we carry.  Let us be deliberate to do good to others, just as our Lord did wherever He went.

Thoughts:

Has your faith and trust in God impacted your actions?

How have others experienced your faith?

Is there anything you could do to shine your light brighter?