Good deeds, like light bulbs, need electricity.
Good deeds, like limbs of a living body, need life.
Good deeds, like a human being, require a mind and a heart.
A good deed has to connect you to your source above. If it is connected, it glows with life.
Torat Menachem, vol. 34 (Likkutei Sichot, vol. 4), Parshat Korach.
Connection Fulfilling a mitzvah is a good deed, but are these acceptable to HaShem if the person doing the mitzvah is not Jewish?