When most of us think of good works, we tend to think of things like giving money to those in need, encouraging a friend who is discouraged, or going on a short-term mission trip.

All of those things are critical and important, and definitely are good works.

However, it’s easy to think that these types of things are the only things that God considers good works. That good works are something relatively rare and infrequent. If you go on a mission trip, you are engaging in good works. But when you go to your job each day you are doing … what, exactly?

The result is that we are sometimes left wondering how the everyday things we do relate to our faith. Of course God is OK with these things, but does he delight in them — like, for example, he delights in it when we give to disaster relief for a recent earthquake?

I don’t want to minimize the great value and significance of things like missions trips and giving to disaster relief. They are critical and wonderful and highly significant.

But there is also good news for the common fabric of our everyday lives — for the things we do every day that sometimes seem mundane and very ordinary.

This good news is found in an interesting connection that Paul makes in his letter to the Ephesians.

Most of us are familiar with Ephesians 2:8-10: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

We aren’t saved by good works, but for good works. And living a life of good works is part of the purpose of the Christian life.

Now, if you head over to Ephesians 6:5-8, you find Paul speaking to the issue of our daily work — and you find a parallel that I don’t think a lot of people have picked up on. You see this in verse 8, where he says that we are to do our work “knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord.”

Here’s what’s interesting: In 2:10, Paul said that God created us in Christ “for good works.” Now, here in 6:8, he refers to our daily work as “good” (or, as some translations put it, a “good thing”). This is a clear allusion back to 2:10, where Paul spoke of “good works” as part of the purpose for which God created us anew in Christ.

In other words, Paul is referring to our daily work as a “good work.” The things we do in our jobs are not simply neutral things, but rather are among the good works that God prepared beforehand for us to do (Ephesians 2:10). They are not just things we have to do; they are good works that are pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ.

This gives new significance to the things we do every day. It means that when we are answering emails, we aren’t just answering emails–we are doing good works. When we go to meetings, we aren’t just going to meetings–we are doing good works. When we make dinner for the family and put the kids to bed, we aren’t just making dinner and putting the kids to bed–we are doing good works.

Which means we can do all of these things–and everything we do–as a service to others. Everything that comes our way throughout the day is an opportunity to serve–and that’s exciting.

The things we do every day take on new meaning when we realize that they aren’t just things we are doing or tasks we are checking of; they are opportunities to benefit others and honor God.

You don’t have to go to Africa to do good works (though that is a great thing!). All you need to do is go about your everyday life in faith. For whenever you do anything for the glory of Christ and good of others, you are doing a good work.

By: Matt Perman (@MattPerman)
Read more from Matt at WhatsBestNext.com
Matt is also working on a book to be released in April called What’s Best Next: How the Gospel Changes the Way You Get Things Done.