We all know of people who do good deeds in private and then insist on telling everyone about it. Some of you probably find that distasteful, or probably at-least a bit annoying and a while ago, I would have agreed, labelling their behavior as virtue signaling. I see things a bit differently now though..
It's been said that vanity has built more hospitals and schools than any other human motivation. Of course vanity is one of the deadliest sins, and God looks favorably on acts of goodness that are done for their own sake and with the purest of virtuous intentions. I certainly agree that that you should be suspicious of people who tell you about each and every good deed they do because some people are doing good only to try to compensative for, or worse, try to mask all the bad they have done, but I am quite reluctant to denigrate a very natural and redeeming impulse in man which wishes to be considered good for doing good things. What's the alternative? Nothing good you do will ever be recognized by anyone but God? Such saintliness as described in the Book of Matthew 6:1-4 is not to be expected of the typical human.
In infinite and almost imperceptible ways the whole fabric of a moral civil society is upheld and maintained by conspicuous acts of kindness, goodness, charity, and valor. When these acts are seen and acknowledged, normative standards are codified and then emulated and ultimately multiplied. Often people on the road to virtue are changing their life and need reinforcement for their good works. Further up the road the virtuous behavior becomes a habit and such behavior needs less recognition because the inner reward is so much more satisfying to the spirit. Don't we praise children lavishly when they do remarkably good things or even perfunctory things well? Why? It helps forge their character that will suit them for the rest of their lives. It prepares them with the spiritual stamina to continue the journey up the road to the beatific behavior prescribed in Matthew.
When I see someone conspicuously drawing attention to their own good works, I try first to assume their intentions are earnest and that perhaps they didn't get the proper amount of reinforcement as children before I assume they are trying to fool me into thinking they're superior or shame me into doing like they do. I would be more suspicious of the person who denigrates the do-gooder for mentioning it. Why do they feel the need to disparage? Do they feel the other's good deed as a reproach? In an increasingly shameless world where people are quicker to boast of their bad behavior, perhaps it's not so bad that there are still some drawing a little attention to the goodness they do.
