4th January 2021
PLEASING GOD AND NOT MEN
David Abankwah
“Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
-Matthew 6:1 | NKJV
In Matthew 5:16, Jesus Christ entreated us to let our light so shine before men that they may see our good works and glorify our Father who is heaven but in Matthew 6:1, He also entreated us not to do good to please men but God alone. Isn’t this contradictory? Well, letting your light shine before men is different from doing good for not getting the attention of men. There is difference between righteousness and goodness even though the latter is in the former. Righteousness or light shining or right standing with God, is the obedience of the will of God but goodness is the quality of being profitable to someone. Goodness many times, is seen as giving. Most giving is not righteousness.
There are many occultists, free masons, idolaters, people of other religions, and sinners who do good but they are not righteous. The fact that you give alms or you are a good person doesn’t mean you are righteous. If you don’t accept Jesus Christ into your life for His righteousness to be imputed into you, you can never be righteous. Even your goodness, you will do it to please men and not God. True goodness is doing so to please God and not men. If our goodness was enough to make us have right standing with God, then Jesus Christ would not have come to die for us. You can profess you serve God through other ways other than Jesus Christ, but you are not righteous.
As believers, anytime we are doing good towards one another, we shouldn’t do it so with the intention of pleasing people. It is the motive behind the goodness that God is looking for. The thing you are giving may be small but it is the intention behind it that will make it a bountiful blessing for you. The pleasing of men doesn’t amount to nothing but the pleasing of God brings wholesome amount of expected ends in life, ministry, and Godliness. God has the ultimate sway over everything. If you first do things that pleases God, you will have favour with Him and having favour with God will translate you to also having favour with humans. Charitable works is very important in Christianity.
The God who took the form of a bondservant 2000 years ago, can take any form. He can take any form of a beggar, a seemingly mad person, a friend, or even a stranger who will ask you for help. If you don’t take care, you will insult Him. You will look down on Him. You will despise and fail to be charitable towards Him. Because you don’t do things to please God but men, you will always judge the appearance of people before helping them which will not bring any benefit. Many have missed the rewards of God when He visited them in the appearance of a beggar. Abraham would have missed God and His reward of a son, if He had looked down on the three visitors.
•| Prayer Diary |•
Lift up prayers for the heart of generosity to do charitable works with the intention of pleasing God and not men in the name of Jesus Christ.
Quote
God can visit you in the form of a beggar. If you do charitable works by pleasing men, you will miss Him.
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© 2021 David Abankwah
David Abankwah 