"'Watch out! Don't do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven." Matthew 6:1 NLT
As if working a full-time job, a part-time job, training for an ultra-marathon, and being a mother and wife whose husband is working out of town wasn't enough of a workload, my washer decided to go out recently. Thankfully though, while my daughter and I are waiting for the special order to arrive, I am able to do our laundry at work. Which is awesome unless I forget to take the laundry home. And that's exactly what happened last Friday. Realizing I had left the load in the dryer, I stopped by the next day to retrieve it only to find that someone in the office had not only taken the clothes out of the dryer but had neatly folded them and placed them in my basket. Oh how this made me smile! It’s just amazing how acts of kindness, both big and small, can refresh the heart of the receiver.
And you know, when it comes to doing "good deeds" such as this, the Bible tells us that we should do them as often as we can. But we should perform these acts of kindness for the Lord and out of our great love for Him rather than "to be admired by others." You see, the Lord knows our motives. And when you and I do "good deeds publicly" to receive the praises of men rather than God, we trade the eternal "reward" the Father has for us in heaven for the temporary and hollow praises of man on earth.
So be on guard my friend! "Watch out" that your motives for helping others are pure, honorable and done out of compassion. And then forego making your acts public, knowing an amazing reward awaits those believers who do.
Heavenly Father, thank You for the reminder that the kind and good things we do for others should be done out of our love for You. Help us to value your praise above that of man that our motive might be pure and gain us an eternal reward unlike anything the world could offer. Help us to do it all for You. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen.
Happy Running!!!
All for You - MIKESCHAIR
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