A Grand Rapids woman was excited to have a visit from an old college roommate who lived in another part of the country. As she listened to her friend’s story, though, she was touched by the problems her guest faced as a single mom struggling to keep things together.

The hostess decided to do something to help. She got on the phone to her friend’s home church and told them of her concern. The people in that town 2,000 miles away immediately went to work. They cleaned the woman’s house inside and out. They stocked the shelves and filled the refrigerator with prepared meals.

When the woman got home, she was stunned by what had happened. And not knowing who had taken care of her and why, all she could do was give the glory to God.

That’s a great model of how our work for the Lord should be done—not for us to receive honor and praise but to let God receive the glory. In Matthew 6, Jesus gave guidelines for doing “charitable deeds.” They are to be done without fanfare, without calling attention to ourselves.

It’s not easy to turn away from the applause after doing something for others. Yet if we want to do God’s work His way, we will. Then we’ll be sure who gets the credit.