Here's a cute little personal story about a very random act of kindness. My son was quite young, 3 maybe, and he, the other kids, and I were at the local Dairy Queen splurging on a meal out for some special reason or another. We had finished our food and were enjoying our ice cream treats. My little one noticed a man alone, contentedly reading the newspaper, that had finished his meal. With as much empathy as a toddler can muster, he asked why the man didn't have ice cream. I told him that I didn't know why. He felt so sorry for the guy not "getting to have a treat" he turned to him and holding out his own child sized cone offered, "Want a lick?" I believe the man was touched. I know I was.
My little boy personally knew what made him happy and he wanted others to share in that happiness. The beautiful simplicity of a child... "he was letting his light shine" in pure innocence, pure love for others.
If you look back one post to "What is love?" (Feb. 14) I began to explain what I believe to be true about the reason behind doing good - which is love - Christ's love that is in us when we accept Him as our Lord and Savior. After I posted that entry, I have since come across so much more about this "Doing good" part of the Golden Rule.
"If you do good to those who are good to you, what thanks do you deserve? Even 'sinners' do that." Luke 6:33 ISV
I'd now like to take a closer look at the "what is" or the "how to" do(ing) good. There is SO MUCH scripture in the Bible about doing good or doing what is right so I'm going to try to sum it up the best that I can for you. Basically what God wants from us is to further the work that His Son, Jesus, started during His ministry. What did Jesus "do" during his walk on this earth? First, let's not forget 1 John 3:16 from part 1 of doing good ("What is love?") "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers." He also healed the sick and the broken, fed the people, taught the Truth about salvation and eternal life, had compassion on the lame, the possessed, the sinner, the poor and the learned to name just a few things.
The gospel of Matthew tells us both the what and the how (ch. 25:35-40):
"For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me. Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.'"
Jesus would do all of these things and more and He expects us to continue this work of love in our lives today to show His light for all men to see. Jesus wants us to let our "little light shine" so that others will wonder about the source of our peace and joy and want what we have.
There's a song by Addison Road called "This Little Light of Mine" (paste this in your browser: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVeB7ACVgO0) and it has a few lines in it that speak about this opportunity to share your light or your good work before others:
May you live each day with no regret
Make the most of every chance you get
Brave the dark and let my little light shine
There's a little light inside us all
These good deeds are NOT to be done in a public way for our own honor (thanks or credit) but with humility for the glory of God. Our "good attitude" is not our own, it is a gift of grace that God gives us through the Holy Spirit in us as Christians. We are to love on the "sinner" especially to further the Kingdom of God.
"Live such good lives among the pagans (unbelievers - my addition) that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us." 1 Peter 2:12
"The day he visits us" may possibly be the day when God visits a person with salvation (when they receive their call to accept or deny Christ as their Lord and Savior). The believer's good life may then influence the unbeliever to repent and believe. Yes!, by leading a God pleasing life and doing good to others you may just have that kind of eternal impact on one or many of God's children that are currently lost.
"For we are God's workmanship (the Greek for this means "work of art"), created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (God's sovereign purpose and plan for our lives) Ephesians 2:10
Again the thanks in this verse (Luke 6:33) is referring to credit. We are to love our neighbor by doing good or serving them, not for our credit but for God's glory. If you'd like more ideas of how to do good to your neighbor or your enemy (which are all formed in God's image) have a look at Titus chapter 3 in your Bible. It's loaded with rich direction. Here's a sample:
"Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order that they may provide for daily necessities and not live unproductive lives." Titus 3:14
As Christ followers, we are chosen by Him to do His good work also known as bearing fruit. John shares the following words of Jesus with us in his gospel; "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit - fruit that will last (good works that prove evidence of faith in Christ in all that believe). Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other." John 15:16-17
Let us give God thanks for sending His Only Son down from heaven to become a man, a teacher, a Savior, a perfect, sinless example of how to do good to all of God's children.
"And be thankful." Colossians 3:15b
