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Staff Blog - The Good Deeds We Do

The Good Deeds We Do

Posted by Mary Stargel on

 
MATTHEW 5: 13-16 (NLT) Teaching about Salt and Light
“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.
 
 
Jesus said we are the salt and the light! Two very distinct characteristics that are hard to ignore. We bring healing and truth to the broken world, while brightly revealing God's love in a place of darkness and despair. It is encouraging and gives purpose to our lives to think about being the salt and light!
 
But when I come to verse 16, I realize the struggle to live this out for the Glory of God. So often, the good deeds I do are so that others approve of me and give me praise instead of praising our Heavenly Father.
 
For years I tried to correct the motives of my heart. To will myself to be a person who doesn't need man's approval or praise. But this is an impossible task. Jeremiah 17:9 points this out! (http://bible.com/116/jer.17.9.nlt)
 
God is teaching me that instead of trying to change the motives of my heart, to turn to Him to recognize where my motive comes from.
 
THE HARD TRUTH....I do good deeds to receive approval and praise because then I feel worthy and loved. 
 
GOD's TRUTH..... I am already loved fully by God, the creator of the universe. 
 
1 John 4:9 says 
"God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins."
 
That much love is hard to comprehend, but if I daily put my identity in the hands of God, who loves me enough to give the life of His Son, then slowly I can learn to rely on His love more than the love and approval of those around me.
 
This dependency upon God allows me to be salt and light in a way that others see my good deeds and give praise to the heavenly father.
 
When I know I am loved and reedeemed by God, I better understand it is He who makes me salt and light. My good deeds are the outflow of a heart saved by His Grace.
 
As the true source of salt and light in my life, it is He who deserves all GLORY and PRAISE for the good deeds I do.
 
As our neighbors, family, friends and co-workers see the light in our lives, may we turn and point to God who has redeemed us from dark places and set our feet upon a solid rock!