This guy seems to be saying, “I done good, didn’t I?” We all need affirmation in our lives. We need to know if we are making good choices, doing what’s right, living a commendable life.
But what is a “commendable” life? We read in Matthew 5- 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. For those who have come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, we have a light to shine. And we ought to let it shine!
But that light is to shine “before men.” People need to SEE our faith in action, our convictions in practice, our values being put to use. A faith not seen is as good as no faith. We need to be visible, not so we can point to ourselves, but so we can point to Him.
People need to see our “good works.” Good works, I would suggest, have gotten a poor reputation in many Christian circles. We act and speak as if they are not important. It is true that no one is saved by his or her good works. We are clearly told this in Ephesians 2. There we read, 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Good works will save no one. But after one is saved there are plenty of good works to do! In fact, a life of good works has been marked out for us. God has prepared in advance such works for us to do!
John Wesley put it well when he said, “Do all the good you can. 
By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as ever you can.” And that kind of life is commendable!
Questions:
1. What good deed can you point to right now and say, “I’m doing that for the Lord — that He would be glorified”?
2. What person comes to mind whom you could commend today? We all need encouragement. Who merits some recognition by you today?
Dr. Larry Dixon
larrydixon.wordpress.com 
Mike Barnett
August 13, 2013 at 11:26 am
Absolutely a reality. As I’ve studied and coached teams at the top for many years I’ve found that everyone, even the guys and gals at the top, needs affirmation/approval. It reminds me that “exhortation” (1 Tim 4:13) includes affirmation and “high five-ing!” Or, should I say “ring-diving” :-)?Let’s remember to give approval to our bosses as well.
Dr. Larry Dixon
August 13, 2013 at 2:23 pm
Thanks, Mike, for your comment. Perhaps you’ve heard the following quote: “One of the commodities in life that most people can’t get enough of is compliments. The ego is never so intact that one can’t find a hole in which to plug a little praise. But compliments, by their nature, are highly biodegradable and tend to dissolve hours or days after we first receive them — which is why we can always use another.” (Phyllis Theroux, Readers’ Digest). Blessings. Larry