In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden forever.
Summary: Paul’s instructions regarding good deeds pair nicely with his prior instructions about sins going ahead or trailing.
Are good deeds obvious? Maybe to you and me, but not to everyone. Consider these words written by Paul to the church at Corinth:
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18)
The foolish and the wise see things differently. The foolish might scoff at a good deed or not even notice. The foolish have other priorities.
The wise, on the other hand, recognize that God is supreme. The wise understand the importance of loving their neighbors (Matthew 22:39). The wise recognize a good deed because doing good is what their hearts are tuned to.
But even the wise cannot see what is hidden.
Remember Jesus’ instructions on giving? He says, “But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you” (Matthew 6:3-4).
People who follow this advice are careful not to advertise what they are doing.
But Paul says, “good deeds are obvious” to someone like Timothy, and what is not obvious “cannot remain hidden forever.”
This is true.
People talk. Good news gets around, just like bad. Maybe good news doesn’t travel as fast or as far as bad news, but it does travel. Eventually, even the pastor of the church hears what is going on.
Coupling this advice with Paul’s words about people’s sins makes perfect sense. In a word, be patient. Examine what you know about a person when considering them for leadership in the church. Then, take some time and wait. Examine what you learn after all the talking is done. What do the man’s actions tell you?
Application: Be patient when gathering information for a decision.
Food for Thought: What clues do you look for in a person when you suspect they are doing good deeds?
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