Our Greatest Work

In a performance-based society, what is seen and done before others is rewarded and valued. Accomplishments can define who we are, how we pursue, and how we compare ourselves to others. The world’s definition of what really matters can’t compare to what is most valuable in heaven. A life in Christ reflects this truth. This can have a deep effect on how churches carry out activity to spread God’s Word.

A new year brings a new start – an opportunity to have a refreshed perspective, a clean sheet, or a renewed dedication to accomplish something. And that’s all good, but I am growing weary of pursuing goals for the sake of pursuing goals that leave me stressed and frustrated.

We live in a performance-based society. There is an ingrained desire to be somebody, accumulate things, and be noticed by others. Successful people are celebrated. The attention associated with being successful is attractive to our human nature.

John Starke (Author of “The Secret Place of Thunder”) wrote, “The most important things about us are practiced in secret.” In this thought-provoking book, the author points to the issues that Jesus was trying to address in Matthew 6. Religious leaders were striving to look righteous as a God-pleasing activity. Belief in the promises of the one Almighty God had become a performance-based religion.

Our society can influence a life in Christ when it becomes a performance-based exercise of practicing righteousness. Do we not enjoy being recognized and acknowledged for our outward successes? How do we respond when there is a perceived lack of success in the eyes of others? Do we get too despondent when there is a lack of acknowledgement or approval from others?

Our greatest work is often done in secret.

Jesus cautions his disciples about trying to be seen, to be honored, to do things to gain attention or approval from others. We tend to think that receiving success will make us feel better and solve our problems. But that’s not true. If anything, success escalates issues and problems.

Instead of trying to prove ourselves to others, there is freedom in knowing that we have already been approved. Instead of practicing our righteousness with the hope of being seen, we exercise our faith with God as our audience. Freely we expose our sins and are forgiven. Freely we receive our new nature in Christ through his means of grace. Freely we dare to fail and freely we succeed — all by his hand and with his approval.

Our greatest work is often done in secret when nobody else is watching. How God’s kingdom works through gospel activity is often unseen, so it makes sense that the greatest work of faithful servants does not need success that is seen. When God is the only one aware of our faithful activity, then success can be truly defined by faithfulness. Those are the goals worth pursuing.