Bright Shiny Good Works

I found this post by Nicole Whitacre from Girl Talk to be extremely relevant for my life. She says,

After I’ve done a good work, I want to add it to my collection. I put it on my soul’s mantle and I polish it and step back to admire it. What a godly woman I am for doing such a good work! How nice it was to receive the thanks and appreciation of others! What a noble, self-sacrificing person I am! When I’m thinking like this, I’ve so missed the point. Good works are not an occasion for self-congratulation. They are a reason to marvel, once again, at my Savior. Only because of the blood that Jesus shed on the cross are my sins forgiven--not because of any good work I have done or will do. Only His grace motivates me to a life of good works. Only because of Christ’s mercy are my good works pleasing to the Father. Only His power sustains me for a lifetime of good works to His glory.

On this day, I pray that as I begin to walk in those good works God has ordained for me, that I will be quick to understand their source - the Savior, not me; and their purpose - His glory, not my own.