For the past few months, I’ve been studying Titus. The more I study it, the more I realize that one of the main themes of this book is “good deeds.” A while ago, a friend brought up the verses Galatians 6:9: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
My first thought when hearing this verse was, “Who in the world would “grow weary” of doing good?” And after more consideration, “What does “doing good,” actually mean?” Now first off, I want to make it known that I do not believe we gain our salvation through good works. The Bible is clear that we are saved by the grace of God and not at all on our own merit (Ephesians 2:8-10, Titus 3:5).
So then, what is the point of these good works? “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). They are to glorify God. Our good works point, not to ourselves, but to our Father. Also, the works that we do are evidence of our faith. We are told in James 1:22, “prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.” Later, in James 2, the author charges us to prove that we have faith without any works to back it up. If we claim to be a Christian, then we should be able to live a lifestyle that reflects our Savior.
Which again brings up the question, “What are good works?” As I’ve been reading through Titus, this theme keeps presenting itself. We are to be an “example of good deeds” (Titus 2:7). In 2:14, it talks about how He saved us and redeemed us so that we could be a people “zealous for good deeds.” Those who believe in God will be “careful to engage in good deeds” (3:8). We are to be “ready for every good deed” (3:1). And, going back to the James’ theme, “Our people must also learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful” (Titus 3:14).
Galatians 5:22,23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” These are the fruits we are to be showing through our good works. That’s all well and good, but I’m a practical person. What in the world does this look like in my life?
I have these grand ideas of what “good works” are supposed to look like. It’s me coming up with a way to raise millions of dollars for orphans around the world. Or maybe I dedicate my entire life to rescuing women off the streets. Now, these ideas are not bad, but what am I called to do now? What does doing good deeds look like in my life currently? Well, if I am to show self-control, then I won’t fly off the handle when my toddler asks me the same question for the 100th time. It’s showing kindness to a friend who needs someone to talk to, even if I have a to-do-list that hasn’t been touched in a week. When my husband has had a rough day at work, its showing him love instead of snapping that my day wasn’t a piece of cake either.