For a number of years I have found myself saying, "there's a reason behind everything we do -- good, bad, or indifferent to the masses -- there is a reason ... and it might not be the reason someone looking on might first suspect."
The Rabbi addressed this issue by speaking about the benefits of doing things in secret. Prayer? Go in to your closet. Fasting? Don't allow others to see your face disfigured. Giving? Don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Of course, there is benefit in letting folk see you pray - you may well hear people say, "Oh how eloquent he is." There is benefit in letting people see you suffer through depriving your body - you may hear folk marvel out loud, "What a spiritual giant she is." There is benefit in deliberately waiting for people to see you make your financial offering - they may well exclaim, "What a generous fellow that is!"
Yet Jesus wasn't interested in the accolades of men. The things he did ... the things he said ... he did them for The Father who sees in secret. THAT was the benefit Jesus was looking for. And the funny thing is, he wanted his followers to see that benefit as well.
So when a member of the church asked me why folk were making financial offerings to a local Christian radio station and having their names broadcast for all to hear - I really didn't have an answer for him. Do you?
Why would someone want their name broadcast on the air when they have made a financial donation to an organization? What does it matter and is it really any of our business? As you said, there is a reason for all our actions, and it may not be the reason someone looking on might first suspect. I think we should be more concerned about guarding ourselves from becoming judgmental about our brother and sisters in Christ.Read Matthew 7:1-5.True, according to John 7:24 there is a righteous type of judgment we are supposed to exercise with careful discernment. But, I don't think this situation fits that criteria.What do you think?
ReplyDeleteThis post comes from Lmac via my email