One of the greatest failures of the modern Church is that we have become far more known for what we stand against than what we stand for. This is obviously not a terrible thing. To stand against evil is a good thing, and to let evil stand is to become complicit in its continuity, but as much as we must stand against evil, the Bible puts forward a more important task: Doing good works that are seen by the world as a reason to glorify our God.
There was a time when this was the case. Christianity was practically synonymous with charity. We advanced science, we helped the poor, we erected thousands of hospitals and orphanages. The hungry were fed, the naked were clothed, the homeless were sheltered, the unjustly captivated were freed. And we still do this. But we are still known more for what we oppose than what we support.
I know a guy who could be used as a good example. He's certainly no liberal. He has the reputation for standing firmly on the Bible that catches the Church a lot of flak these days. But even his enemies know that he would not leave them hungry, or stranded, or in danger if he could do anything about it. Even when they accuse this man of hating them, they know what he would do for them, and sometimes ask him to do it. This is the kind of reputation we should have, and the best way to earn this reputation is to actually be worthy of it.
This is where it gets difficult. The Bible seems to be contradictory here. On the one hand, it tells us to let our light shine. On the other hand, there are verses that tell us not to let our right hand know what our left hand is doing. Where's the line?
The line is between who receives the glory. If I do a charitable deed and boast about it, who gets the glory? I do. Thank you Brian! You're so generous! But what if I put Jesus in front of you? What if I'm so obviously Christian that you see that it is my faith that guides my charity? Then you start to glorify God.
Take Zacchaeus. This man was a very greedy tax collector before Christ, very well known for his greed. After Christ, he sought to set everything right. What he cheated people out of, he restored with interest. Who gets the glory? Jesus. Zacchaeus wasn't doing good because he was just that sort of guy. Jesus changed him and gave him a better hope. A hope that was spread to everyone who saw. We, today, glorify God because of this greedy little man in the sycamore tree. We are to be spotlights for Christ, and so we should lead lives worthy of Him.