Good works not for display

The Standard August 23, 2025

For students of the Bible, it is imperative to read verses in context and to allow Scripture to interpret Scripture. Isolating one verse without considering the surrounding text and without comparing it to related Bible verses often leads to misinterpretation. This means that some hard work is required for our spiritual growth as Christians, guided by the Holy Spirit.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says two things in adjacent chapters which might seem contradictory. First, he tells the crowds, “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16

In the next chapter Jesus warns the listeners, “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So, when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Matthew 6:1-4

Proverbs 27:2 says, “Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth; an outsider, and not your own lips.”

Reading the New Testament, we see that Jesus is the perfect picture of humility. He shows us multiple examples of serving others, even in the lowly manner of bending down and washing dirty feet. On the other hand, he often was surrounded by crowds. He healed the lame, the blind, and the sick in public as well as in the privacy of a few homes.

Taken together, it seems as though Jesus is encouraging us to engage in good deeds with the sole motivation of glorifying God. We are not to serve for show or recognition. If at all possible, we should help others without drawing attention to ourselves.

There will be times, however, when our service is done in public and others will see. Our family members and neighbors tend to observe our actions, even when we are not spotlighting them. The Apostle Paul writes, “The sins of some are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them. In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden forever.” 1 Timothy 5:24-25

Last week our church family lost one of the sweetest, most humble gentlemen I have known. Walter Pippin was one of those hard workers who kept himself in the background, doing jobs like preparing the iced tea before church meals and washing dishes afterwards. He was amiable and not a complainer. Mr. Pippin probably would not have wanted a wing of a building named after himself, and would have clicked “give anonymously” if he made any online donations. His good works were a natural outgrowth of his faith. Mr. Walter served quietly because he understood Who should receive the glory, but most of us saw his light shining. I think this is what Jesus means in the Sermon on the Mount.