Feeling Pressure to Perform?
Do you ever feel pressure to do “good things” so that people can see how cool Christianity is?
This week I’ve been meditating a bit on Matthew 5:16… let me give a bit of context.
Jesus was talking to His followers about persecution. We are blessed when people say nasty things about us because we follow Him. We come from a long line of persecuted people. If you’re reading this, you haven’t suffered like a lot of the prophets and apostles did – they were killed for their faith.
Then Jesus says:
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.
In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
“Let your light shine…” I wonder if we sometimes use this as a prod to push people to do things – just for the sake of showing “good works” to the world.
You know, in order to have something to put on our church website about our church’s “community involvement”. In order to have something to put in the next missionary prayer letter.
But many believers have suggested (rightly, I think) that this light is not directly from us – it’s like a reflected light. The redeemed shine because it’s their nature – they have been transformed by the True Light – Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. (James 1:17)
As the book of Daniel says:
And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.
Daniel 12:3
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Jesus’ emphasis is not that we need to try to make the light shine, we need to add a little fuel to make it brighter, we need to try really hard to keep Satan from “blowing it out”.
No, the light is already shining. We just need to “let” it shine.
In fact, Jesus warns against doing good works “to be seen by men” (Matthew 6:1). He condemned the scribes and pharisees for doing just that (see Matthew 23:5).
We really can’t please the world and God (Matthew 6:24). Quite often those who please people are not pleasing God – “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.” (Jesus in Luke 16:15)
So I don’t see this pressure in the Bible to “perform”. There are times to keep your good works a secret. And there are times to simply allow your light to shine. Praise God in front of whoever, because that’s what you do (Psalm 18:49).
Other believers should glorify God when they see their brothers and sisters in the faith sharing the Gospel and giving generously, for example (2Corinthians 9:11-15):
… the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ … Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!
Those who do not know God should notice our good works, even though they oppose us. The Apostle Peter gives us a classic example of this in 1Peter 2:12: Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honourable, that is, live a life of integrity, whether with believers or unbelievers. Why? so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.
They will glorify God – but not yet. Right now they speak against you. They call you evil. They may even physically persecute you. But someday they will realize that it was God’s light shining through you.
Should we push ourselves and each other to do good works? Of course (Hebrews 10:24-25) – but we should not feel pressure to “perform” before the world. Instead, we should let our light shine wherever we are. Live a life of honesty and generosity – wherever we are.
So go ahead – give, reach out, help the community. Maybe even put it on the church website or in the newsletter if it’s appropriate.
But let the good works come from a transformed heart, a heart supplied richly by the Spirit, not from some pressure to show the world how good you are. Let the generosity be done with joy, as from someone who has been given much from God.
Let God work in your heart, and He will work through you.
And in the end, worshippers will someday sing before God’s throne:
and glorify your name?
For you alone are holy.
All nations will come
and worship you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed.
Revelation 15:4
Whose righteous acts?
The Apostle Paul puts this wonderfully in the earlier part of 2Corinthians 9 which I mentioned above…
Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written,
“He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever.”
He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.1Corinthians 9:7-10