Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16
Though this verse is part of Jesus’ teaching about His disciples being salt and light, as a stand alone verse it teaches a valuable lesson.
Jesus warned in the Sermon on the Mount (specifically in Matthew 6:1-18) not to give, pray, or fast to be seen and applauded by people. The error Jesus addresses in those passages is about doing things to be seen for human recognition and for our own glory.
Matthew 5:16, which may seem contradictory (to chapter 6), says to do good things to be seen—but not for human recognition or selfish glory. Instead, we are to do good things in such a way that we point people to God for His glory. How do we do this?
First, we must analyze our motives. Are we doing what we do for our only glory, or for God’s? It all begins here in the heart. How we do what we do will reveal our true motives, often to people, but certainly to God! This is the most crucial first step. We need also to be aware that we can deceive ourselves pretending not to care about receiving recognition, when recognition is exactly what we want. How do we test ourselves on this? How do we respond when we do not receive thanks? Even the slightest twinge of resentment reveals the truth about our hearts.
Second, we must do what we do making it clear that we have no interest in the applause of people. This is accomplished only when we have adequately addressed the first step regarding our hearts and true motives. When we have, we do what we do cheerfully, never grumbling or grudging. And if or when people do acknowledge and thank us for any good we have done, point the praise to God, deflecting attention away from ourselves. This is more than merely saying, “Praise the Lord,” though that is a good start. Go forward from here by explaining that the little that you do is not worthy to be compared with the incredible mercy God has shown you by Christ Jesus dying to forgive you of your sins! The point is to make clear that we do what we do because of all God has done for us!
That is a little about how to “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. “