Ground Zero-Nameless Heroes!

 

The world is about recognition and acknowledgement and its sadly normal in Christendom. Profile management, designations and high levels of leadership positions are craved for or held onto dearly. This just doesn’t end here. With social media under our control, we ensure that our greatness is always projected, and our importance is never forgotten. We have twisted the sacred symbols of serving others and feet washing to broadcast our great acts of humility for everyone to see. We are depraved enough to merchandise our love and care.

We are more concerned of convincing people “look, I am one of the good ones… I care… I am doing my part.”.  It’s a psychological cushion and symbol of compliance. The tangible difference barely matters. Social acceptance and praise take precedence. If everything we do is for limelight and praise, then we have clearly forgotten the essence of the act in the first place. Jesus had to emphasize this so clearly by stating this, “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.”. Unfortunately, our desire is more for praise and appreciation here on earth than for a reward from our Father in heaven. People yearn to be celebrated as demigods and technology helps feed this urge to our own destruction. God have mercy!

If we read the Bible closely, it records many heroes who are nameless and let me bring them to your attention. Luke 9:49, “Master we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him because he does not follow us.”.  Jesus’ disciple John says this. This incident just mentions “We saw someone”. This nameless person received the teachings of Christ exercised his faith and gifting. Today among the chatter of praises of men, we will not dare to go unnoticed. I understand when you are working in an organization there are expectations that needs to be met, and hence accomplishments need to be documented and reported, but do we exaggerate? During the last supper Jesus talks about His betrayal, trial and death, for a moment an argument broke out as to who should be considered the greatest (Luke 22:34) and Jesus clarifies it in (22:27).

Let me also remind you of the man who offered his room for the last supper. Jesus said, “Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples.” Matthew 26:18. Mark the word “a certain man”.Jesus did not flaunt about His connections. People did at His bidding and gave everything for Him. Like the person who gave the colt for Jesus’ triumphant entry Luke 19:33-34. Sometimes such incidents are misinterpreted to motivate people to keep giving but losing the essence of the bigger picture. 

Jesus qualifiers for greatness was servant leadership and humility. Matthew 25:21 says, “Well done, good and faithful servant! With Jesus our Master your only accolade will be as a servant, irrespective of your accolades you receive here on earth, and that’s the greatest accolade you can receive by far.

In Christian mission world today, you will notice many people in the mission field take risks to forward the gospel, some probably never recognized. These are the nameless heroes in ground zero who God is recognizing, not the ones who use people for convenience and take all the credit for what is happening. Let us understand that our identity is in Christ Jesus. The authenticity, transparency and faithfulness are the qualities that impress God. Proverbs 20:6, aptly states, “Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, But who can find a faithful man? 

 

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Learnings from Warnings!

The initial few months of the new year are uplifting with Bible promises, prophesies for abundance, profits and wealth. What we try to keep in wraps are the warnings and cautions Jesus gave on some very critical issues. Jesus modeled that love and discipline go hand in hand, which was evident in His relationship with the disciples. They were showered with grace at the same time chastised to protect their souls and purpose of their mission on Earth. Some of the people groups were outrightly warned by Jesus. In Matthews chapter 23 He condemned the elite group of people who were filled with religiosity without God. His words were ‘woe to you’.

Today, Churches and leaders who teach and equip the believers don’t often pick these subjects to admonish and edify the congregation or flock. I am picking few of them for our edification and learnings. 

Matthew 23:23, ‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You pay a tenth of mint, dill, and cumin, and yet you have neglected the more important matters of the law -justice, mercy, and faithfulness…’ The two categories of people whom Jesus warned - the Scribes and Pharisees, calling them hypocrites. However, the warnings apply to all. Let me clarify my point in simple words.

Scribes are the ones who had knowledge of the law and could draft legal documents like contract for marriage, divorce, loans, inheritance, mortgages, sale of the land etc.

Pharisees were leaders of Jewish social movements and a school of thought in the Levant during the time of second temple Judaism. They are experts in Law.

Biblical explanation can be given based on these two contexts. The first context according to Paul’s letter to 2 Timothy 3:5 ‘holding to the form of godliness but denying its power…’. They do everything to show they are godly and spiritually elite, probably in many cases they don’t realise they have become one. Christians with righteous pretense are particular about tithing but outrightly neglect the matter of justice, mercy and faithfulness. They don’t have a problem giving offerings of all kinds and commit to the regular church activities but hardly exemplify justice, mercy and faithfulness. The cry of David in Psalms 12:1 is a reality. ‘Help Lord, for no faithful one remains; the loyal have disappeared from the human race.’. 

The second context of such people are the ones who continually pretend to be someone who they are not, like the ones described in Luke 20:20, ‘they watched closely and sent spies who pretended to be righteous…’. Impersonating who they are not, they wanted to impress others of their spiritual belief system to be seen as superior. Jesus condemns these people who are very legalistic and religious in all their approaches but full of greed and self-indulgence. ‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.’  Matthew 23:25

Greed of all forms are generated in the human heart, and it is usually about self and what they want. Greed for money, wealth, possessions and self-pleasure in any form are common spectacles today. We have got used to living with the ‘Christian’ brand without true transformation in life. Repentance is completely missing. People have learned to justify, smother their guilt and are remorseless. 

The third context, ‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of the bones of the dead and every kind of impurity. In the same way, on the outside you seem righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.’. Matthew 23:27-28. Do you see the pattern of human wretchedness in this chapter? Righteous outside, dead and stinking inside like the tombs. People are busy maintaining a godly stature outside but live in filth and lawlessness within. A church visit, being part of Christian programs are more of duty and obligation. Institutions continue to thrive at the cost of people’s soul without a true sense of remorse and repentance. 

I have the privilege of engaging with believers and leaders from around the globe and I am surprised to see a pattern that looks so Christian but miserable in their lifestyle in several cases. No wonder Jesus exclaimed ‘nevertheless when the son of man comes will he find the faith on earth’ Luke 18:8. True repentance is accompanied with godly sorrow (2 Corinthians 7:10) and intentionally willing to change their ways. It is all about relationship with the Savior and making Him to be the Lord of our lives. Can we be conscious to live our life with purity and clarity this new year.

 

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