Good Deeds

“I was hungry and you fed Me. I was thirsty and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger and you invited me in. I was naked and you gave me clothing. . .” Matthew 25

We took the opportunity to do things just like this the past 2 weeks, but I get ahead of myself.

Jesus spoke these words during the last week of His life and sketched a clear portrait of what His Kingdom should look like and how His people should live. It's like Jesus was giving a declaration of His Kingdom values. Simply stated, He said, “Do the things you’ve seen Me do. You saw Me live life for a few years; now you go and live like I did.” He expects His people to do what He did. We are to believe what He said and act like it’s true. We honor Jesus as we put His Words into action.

How unlike other religions which require recitations, dress codes, certificates or extreme sacrifices of their adherents. Jesus didn’t ask us to recite a creed, fill out a form or pay an assessment to become one of His followers. You know there’s a reason for that, right? It’s not like He was trying to cut corners to easy street. No, He was cutting to the chase.

The most profound evidence of real faith is acting on the truth you profess to believe. Good deeds can never earn a person’s way to Jesus but they are certainly an indication that Jesus is present and working in a person’s life.  People who know Jesus live like they know Jesus.

What we do indicates what we believe. It’s just like Jesus said, “A good tree produces good fruit; a rotten tree produces rotten fruit. . . you will know people by their fruit.” Mt7:17,20.

As we hosted the Cold Weather Shelter the past 2 weeks our Shelter guests gave us some precious gifts. Perhaps the best gift our new friends gave our Covenant Family was the opportunity to do some genuine good. Not kind of good, but real good. Those who served by *unloading shelter materials and setting up rooms for our guests, *preparing food for 3 meals a day, *providing transportation, *serving food at breakfast or dinner, *making lunches, *cleaning bathrooms, showers and living areas, *providing comforts through guest services, *staying overnight to provide security, *doing laundry, *providing a joyful concert of popular music, *being shelter hosts and *packing up our new friends’ things and loading up shelter materials: you all shone like stars. You didn’t just talk about the problem that homelessness is; you chose to do something about it. It’s just as Jesus said the last night of His life-Jn13:17, “If you know these things, you are blessed when you do them.”

It’s almost like you took Jesus seriously: “Do the things I did.”   

Oh, wait a minute: You did take Jesus seriously and do you know what happened?

Good deeds happened. And one more thing: “Let your light shine before people in such a way that they see your good works and glorify your Father Who is heaven.” Mt5:16

Yes. That happened. I saw evidence of it. Just like Jesus prayed: “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is being done in heaven.”

Good Deeds. Well done.

Inspection

“You have searched me and known me. . .” Psalm 139:1

The sound of some words creates a soothing sense of comfort while some screech across my soul like fingernails dragging across a blackboard. Just thinking about it as I write gives me that feeling. . . and yes, I know my reference to an ancient educational device like a blackboard is a dead giveaway that I’m an aged dinosaur from another time and place-sigh. That’s a different kind of screech for another day.

The word “inspection” is one such screeching word for me. “I’m inspecting you” gives me a shiver. It doesn’t really matter if it’s a dental hygienist poking some sharp metal instrument into my teeth (didn’t our parents tell us to keep sharp things out of our mouths?) or a doctor frowning as she contemplatively says, “hmmm” before verbalizing my fears: “we better check that out.” Or maybe it’s the auto mechanic saying, “We have to fix this before your car will pass inspection” while handing me a cost estimation with a bunch of 3 digit numbers on it.

It’s an odd response because I never balked at testing in school or for sports teams. I guess it’s because those inspections or tests came somewhat on my own terms. They were part of the process of learning or playing ball. I signed up for it and expected it.

But I don’t recall signing up for dental chairs or medical tests or auto mishaps. Those things tend to slip up on me when I’m not looking. They seem to intrude while I’m just living life or driving a vehicle. I’m certainly not inviting a full examination of soft spots to create pain in my mouth, body or pocketbook.

So when I read, “You have searched me” I effortlessly slip into screech mode and begin to flinch and tense up. But as I read God’s message more closely, I begin to relax as I realize His inspection is not to find fault. His inspection is definitely NOT a screech moment; rather it points out how careful the Great God is to care for me. He is a God of infinite detail. He cares about me—every bit and everything in my life.

Instead of the pain of a screech moment I find the pleasure of a sweet moment. God’s inspection is to bring good things to my life. His inspection is a pre-cursor to His blessing. . . then it slowly dawns on me to consider a parallel life lesson.

Inspection means God checks me out to ready me for spiritual health. Similarly my dentist and doctor check me out to continue physical health while my auto mechanic inspects to provide safe travel.

That’s quite a different perspective and prompts a very different response. When I understand the various inspections of life from a more lofty perspective I see the goodness of “You have searched me and known me.” And I can see why David invited the Great God to “Search me and know my heart. . . see if there is any hurtful way in me and lead me in the everlasting way.”

You know, I’ve been wrong about those “inspectors” called dentists, doctors and mechanics when I thought they were agents of an evil power! No, they are instruments for my good. Hmmm. I wonder what that means about how I view God?

Inspection: it’s a good thing for me. You might call it a Godsend.

You can listen to recordings of Pastor Dan's current and archived  teachings at:  www.covenantlife.net/listen_now