Worshiping the Lord by NameNäide

Deeds

We've all heard it said, actions speak louder than words. Certainly, that is the case when worshiping the Lord by name. God-centered thinking and Spirit-filled speech are, indeed, both important elements of our Christian faith; if our deeds do not follow suit, however, true worship may not be occurring in our lives.

As believers, we are called upon to be the hands and feet of Jesus here on Earth. Faith observed only in the mind is of little consequence to those suffering in our midst. Likewise, godly words may benefit their hearer, but they ring hollow when not accompanied by Christlike action on the part of believers (James 2:17).

Jesus said we can readily identify people by the fruit of their actions (Matthew 7:20). In the same way that the missteps and mistakes of nonbelievers are obvious for all to see, so, too, are the righteous and sacrificial acts of believers (1 Timothy 5:25). Whatever the eyes of man may miss, God Himself surely sees (Ecclesiastes 12:14).

What deeds, then, best reflect our reverence for the name of the Lord? What actions ought to naturally flow from our God-focused thoughts and speech? One need only consider the earthly ministry of Jesus Himself to find the answer.

• Do we freely and joyfully give to those in need out of the abundance with which God has blessed us?
• Do we defend the rights of those marginalized by society?
• Do we take action to alleviate the suffering of others? (Matthew 25:40)

In short, do we do the right thing simply because it is the right thing - not because we expect anything in return? Then, as Jesus said, "In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father." (Matthew 5:16)

Prayer and Reflection: Determining whether our deeds are sufficiently God-honoring - that is to say, selfless rather than self-serving - isn't all that complicated. In any given situation, you need only ask yourself two questions: 1) What would Jesus do if He were in my position? and 2) If the roles were reversed, would I hope a fellow believer would do this for me? Pray that God would guide you to take greater action in the lives of those around you.