My Bible reading today was from Matthew. Specifically Matthew chapters 4-7. If you’re not familiar with the passages, they basically cover Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness and the Sermon on the Mount, some of my favorite chapters in the Bible. This is the culmination of thousands of years of work, where you can finally see everything coming together. Until you’re almost done with the puzzle, you can’t tell what the picture is. In the same way, God is putting the final pieces of His plan in place. Matthew is like NASA’s mission control counting down to liftoff.
Let’s envision that for a minute. The rockets are beginning to rumble, smoke is starting to pour out of the funnels, and the ground begins shaking as the final numbers tick down.
But anyone who has actually watched a shuttle launch will know that they don’t start at the number ten. No, ten is only the final few steps, when the work is done and the astronauts say their prayers hoping that it all works.
Mission control started counting 43 hours beforehand. (In fact, here is a link to their website detailing everything in the countdown for all of you homeschoolers.)
And NASA started working months beforehand. Years beforehand. Every launch is the culmination of not only the work of their scientists, but many, many others from many, many countries and backgrounds. Immeasurable work has gone into each and every launch, and not every person who has taken part in it knew what they were adding to the plan. Isaac Newton couldn’t possibly have imagined that his simple apple would be a crucial part of actually sending men outside of our Earth’s atmosphere for exploration. In the same way, neither Jacob nor David could have seen what part they would play in God’s plan; what characters they were becoming in His story. Ruth had no idea that anyone would remember her thousands of years later, but she still obeyed God without question.
Ruth is a good example of the point that I’m trying to make here. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus talks about how we are to act in righteous ways in secret, so as to not build up our pride. (Matthew 6:1-6 and 6:16-18.) We are not to look for attention and say, “Hey, look at how godly I am!” The reason for this is simple: you will not be godly. You will lack humility. Ruth understands this and mirrors it in her actions, going out every day to gather the leftover wheat, not seeking anyone’s attention– simply following God. And look what God used her for: Jesus’ earthly father, Joseph, is a direct descendant of Ruth. Ruth could never have guessed that the Messiah would be born from her line, yet she obeyed God quietly and without looking for gain. Her only thought was to support her mother-in-law– to do the job she had in front of her in the moment.
In the same way, do we know what God is going to use us for? Great works, He has said. Since He has said it, it must be true. But we must also find a way to combine James’ faith with deeds, and Paul’s words: “And make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you,” (1 Thessalonians 4:11, NASB). This means we must find little acts of faith. Quiet deeds of righteousness. God has not called all of us to be Billy Graham, though I respect the great work that has been done through him. No–God has called us to mirror His Son.
Which brings us back to the countdown. I’d say that at this point in Matthew we’re at a seven or an eight, closing up the final stages of the launch. The engines in God’s plan are finally starting to rumble to life. Ten–Jesus is born. Nine– Jesus is baptized. Eight– Jesus resists the Devil and proves Himself to be totally immune to temptation. Seven- … Jesus settles down in Capernaum? “Wait!” you say, “That doesn’t fit! You don’t start up the rockets just to shut them down! And besides, you can’t shut down a solid-fuel rocket.”
You are brilliant. That’s the perfect question. My answer: He’s living a quiet life. Probably working as a carpenter. Waiting for His Father to say that it’s time for His ministry to start. Jesus exemplifies His teachings in His life, living in complete accordance with both His own message and the Law. No one can call Him a hypocrite because there is nothing hypocritical about the way he lives.
So we should do the same. We as Christians should follow Christ’s example, living quietly and looking for quiet, secret deeds of righteousness to perform. As Jesus says, “But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:3-4, NASB.) We should do these things in secrecy, not feeding pride in them as some do, but in humility. A truly humble Christ-follower does not seek to draw attention to his actions. And seriously, do you want someone watching you when you fail in whatever you’re trying to do?
I get it. Humans naturally desire attention. It makes us feel loved. And that’s okay. It’s fine to want to show someone what you’re doing and say, “Isn’t this great?” At this very moment, my little brother has mastered spinning a toy around and is calling to his siblings, “Look, guys, look!” That’s basic human instinct that God created us with. We want our work to be recognized.
It’s when we start to draw attention to our acts of righteousness and our piety that our humility is damaged. When we say, “Look at how good of a job I’m doing!” When we let go of the simple desire of love and start to want just the attention, not the intimacy and love of sharing an accomplishment, we build up our pride and tear our humility to pieces. We have to learn not to call attention to our deeds of righteousness, to do them in secrecy instead. Don’t let your left hand even know what your right hand is doing.
The rocket took off at Jesus’ resurrection. It slowly climbed with Peter and Paul and James and Stephen. It left the atmosphere with the Byzantine Empire. Now, it’s coasting past stars and galaxies. Who knows where we’ll land? I can’t wait to find out.
Can you?