Monday, 19 November 2007 01:00 | and posted in Spiritual Disciplines
I reckon one of the things that interests us most is what other people think of us.
A friend organised a group to go on a bike ride. Everyone was waiting patiently for the last few to arrive except for one lad who was anxiously looking out for his mates. He spotted them in the distance. What do you reckon he did when he noticed that neither of them was wearing a helmet? You got it; he slipped his helmet off and stuffed it in his bag before they reached him.
I don't know what you would have done but I certainly know I've done that kind of thing. Sometimes we stop doing things because others are watching - like singing out loud or picking our nose! But sometimes we do things because we know others will see us - watch the way some guys dance or the way some girls walk.
We have a longing to be noticed. So, if I am the last person left after the party and have to tidy up the room by myself then I want people to know that I was the last person left and that I had to tidy up the room by myself!
Showing off like that is something that infects Christians as much as anyone. When we know others are listening we can change the way we pray, we can sing more loudly, we can talk up our part in helping someone or make sure people know we give money to charity. We are all tempted because we want to feel that what we have done is recognised.
Jesus knows we are like that. He wants to help us not to do things just so we will be noticed. That's why he talked about giving without making a big thing of it, praying without trying to impress and fasting [going without food so we can pray] without groaning and complaining that we're starving! Matthew 6:1-18 give that teaching from Jesus; He says ‘Be especially careful when you are trying to be good so that you don't make a performance out of it. It might be good theatre, but the God who made you won't be applauding' (The Message).
The problem with wanting to be noticed is that that becomes the main reason we do things. We quickly forget that we are doing things for God, not to get recognized by others. The question is: who do you most want to please? The answer makes a big difference to what you do and how you do it.