A Model Of Good Deeds

By Rowland Femi Gbamis

Text: Faithful is the saying, and concerning these things, I desire that thou affirm confidently, to the end, that they who have believed God may be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men (Titus 3:8-ASV).

I have heard the story of a little girl in a Sunday school who, after hearing a description of the manner of Jesus, stood and said that Jesus lived on her street. Further enquiry revealed that a godly man who lived on the same street with this girl exhibited the kindness of Jesus Christ in his lifestyle that the girl insisted he was Jesus. After Jesus Christ’s ascension (Acts 1:9-11), the disciples’ manner of life, mode of speech, and actions bore testimony to the saving grace of the Lord. Hence, the disciples of Christ were called Christians because of their “Christlike” nature (Acts 11:26). Indeed, they were models of good deeds. The question is, are you a model of good deeds? Our way of living speaks more than multitudes of our words (cf. Luke 6:43-45). Words without exemplary examples are dead and empty (1 Tim. 4:12; Phil. 3:17). Our life should testify to the truth of the words we speak (Titus 2:7). No matter how sound the doctrine preached, it is pointless if it does not reveal the life of Christ in the preacher or the speaker (1 Tim. 4:16). Many people who start with good works do not persist in them because it is against human nature to continuously do good. Jesus declared that no one is good except God (Luke 18:19). It behooves us to realize that without absolute trust and dependence upon the Lord, we can do no good. There are several reasons why people do not persist in good works. At times, the good we do goes unnoticed and thus unappreciated. In many cases, we are paid back with evil for good. It is only human to get discouraged when the good we do, no matter how much it seems, goes unappreciated. The Lord calls upon us today to persist in doing good even when we are recompensed with evil (Gal. 6:9-10). The little good we do will go a long way to lighten up the darkness in this world of cruelty and evil (cf. Matt. 5: 43-48; Rom.12:20-21). The Lord is the faithful rewarder of His people (Heb.11:6). Is your love for God and the brethren growing every day? Let us note that “It is God who works in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Phil.2:13). Let us think about these things, and may God help us to abide in his words. Amen.