And Jesus sternly charged [the leper] and sent him away at once, and said to him, 'See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.' But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, to that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people where coming to him from every quarter. Mark 1:43-45
In my life and ministry, I have typically attempted to keep as low a profile as I could. I have rarely aspired to be anyone of importance. I have no desire to hold offices. I even shy away from the thought that people might want to look up to me as a role model or anything like that. Sure, it's an honor when people encourage their kids to look to me as an example, but what I am saying is that it is not something I aspire toward.
To some extent, I have come to see Jesus in a similar light. Quite often we find accounts in the Gospels like the one above, where Jesus does some act of kindness or compassion toward someone, and then tells them not to make a big deal out of it. Over the years, I've heard various reasons given for this. Some say that He knew the best way to get them to tell others would be to tell them NOT to talk about it, but that hasn't sat right with me, as it makes Jesus out to be intentionally misleading people. Others say He didn't really mean it, but that would then devalue what Jesus says, which we only do at our peril.
I've rather come to think that Jesus actually didn't want attention drawn to Himself when He would show compassion and care for others. He didn't want the left hand to know what the right hand was doing, or to have His actions done for the praise of man. Instead, I have come to see Him much more in the light of what He spoke in Matthew 5, where He said to let your light shine before others, that they may see your good and give glory to the Father for what they have seen.
I have come to deeply believe that, when you do good for others, such as showing care and compassion, and you don't do it to be noticed, that it will get noticed. Yes, God notices it, and truly, that is all that matters. Any good that we do should really be done for an audience of One, that of the Father. Yet, when people realize that you aren't doing good to them simply to show how good you are, they will respect that, and will inevitably let others know that you are one who is trustworthy. As people who have been the recipients of your care and compassion connect with one another, suddenly what you have done builds. Again, not so much for your benefit, but that God is glorified through what you have done. Yet, in the long run, it will cause you to be more noticed, and perhaps even asked to do more, or to show more compassion. That is what we eventually see with Jesus, just like Mark points out at the end of his first chapter.
So yes, show your care and compassion toward others, and do it abundantly. Don't do it to be noticed, and don't do it so that others will talk about what a good person you are. Do it because your Father sees it and rejoices over Christ shining in your life. But also don't be surprised if you then start to witness what I am calling the Fame of Anonymity.
In my life and ministry, I have typically attempted to keep as low a profile as I could. I have rarely aspired to be anyone of importance. I have no desire to hold offices. I even shy away from the thought that people might want to look up to me as a role model or anything like that. Sure, it's an honor when people encourage their kids to look to me as an example, but what I am saying is that it is not something I aspire toward.
To some extent, I have come to see Jesus in a similar light. Quite often we find accounts in the Gospels like the one above, where Jesus does some act of kindness or compassion toward someone, and then tells them not to make a big deal out of it. Over the years, I've heard various reasons given for this. Some say that He knew the best way to get them to tell others would be to tell them NOT to talk about it, but that hasn't sat right with me, as it makes Jesus out to be intentionally misleading people. Others say He didn't really mean it, but that would then devalue what Jesus says, which we only do at our peril.
I've rather come to think that Jesus actually didn't want attention drawn to Himself when He would show compassion and care for others. He didn't want the left hand to know what the right hand was doing, or to have His actions done for the praise of man. Instead, I have come to see Him much more in the light of what He spoke in Matthew 5, where He said to let your light shine before others, that they may see your good and give glory to the Father for what they have seen.
I have come to deeply believe that, when you do good for others, such as showing care and compassion, and you don't do it to be noticed, that it will get noticed. Yes, God notices it, and truly, that is all that matters. Any good that we do should really be done for an audience of One, that of the Father. Yet, when people realize that you aren't doing good to them simply to show how good you are, they will respect that, and will inevitably let others know that you are one who is trustworthy. As people who have been the recipients of your care and compassion connect with one another, suddenly what you have done builds. Again, not so much for your benefit, but that God is glorified through what you have done. Yet, in the long run, it will cause you to be more noticed, and perhaps even asked to do more, or to show more compassion. That is what we eventually see with Jesus, just like Mark points out at the end of his first chapter.
So yes, show your care and compassion toward others, and do it abundantly. Don't do it to be noticed, and don't do it so that others will talk about what a good person you are. Do it because your Father sees it and rejoices over Christ shining in your life. But also don't be surprised if you then start to witness what I am calling the Fame of Anonymity.
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