Good Works

As I write this the clock is ticking and Christmas day is drawing ever so close. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas and all that it represents. I enjoy all the lights and decorations. It all just seems to make me happy. Don’t even get me started with all of the Christmas treats, the cookies, fudge, brownies, and my favorite, buckeyes.

There is something else that happens at this time of year and that is it seems like people are more giving, looking for ways to do good works. We hear the Salvation Army bells ringing and the sound of change being dropped into buckets. We see boxes in stores for people to drop off toys for those who cannot afford them. We also see our local law enforcement get involved with shop with a cop. Christmas brings out the best in a lot of people. Sadly though, this seems to fade away with the coming of a new year.

This should not be so for the followers of Christ. When we read about our salvation and what we are to do with this amazing gift it screams of giving and doing for others. We see this throughout the New Testament, but I’m just going to share one verse in Titus 3:14, “Our people must also learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful.” This is a call for our salvation to produce good for others. Now we know that it is NOT good works that save us, but we do works because of our salvation.

We do these good works to show others who Jesus is. Jesus did this when he lived on the earth to show people how God really is. For us, the followers of Jesus, we should not do good works just during the holidays, but we should live to do good for others so that they may see Jesus through us. We need to remember that we are the Lord’s representatives, and as His representatives, we must do what our Lord would do and say what He would say.

For us, Christmas is an everyday experience that needs to be shared with those around us who are in desperate need of a caring and loving touch. This is not just something that we are encouraged to do, but as Christians, we are commanded to do.

So, as we look forward to this Christmas, let us be reminded that doing good unto others is not a seasonal thing, but a way of life for us that could and will change the lives of those in need of a caring touch. Look for those opportunities. Pay for someone’s gas at the gas station. Pay for a stranger’s meal and have fun as they look around to see who did it. Doing good to others does not have to be laborious, it can actually be a blast. So, let us go out and do good and have fun doing it. You will find that not only is it a great time, but our Lord will be pleased with our obedience.