Words from the Rock
When you help someone out, don’t think about how it looks. Just do it—quietly and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in love, working behind the scenes, helps you out.
Matthew 6:3–4 Message
In a way, Jesus is asking us to join the Secret Service. Okay, he’s not asking us to become underworld spies, but he does want us to learn how to serve others secretly. Do you ever wonder why that is? Why does he want us to do good deeds without drawing attention to ourselves? Why does he want us to sneak around to help others? Why not just let everyone see what we’re up to?
The answer is because that’s just how God does it. Again and again, God is quietly at work in our lives—giving us what we need to live, protecting us from unseen dangers, guiding us through the maze of our lives . . . and most of the time we don’t even notice. And why does he do it like that? Simply because he loves us. He loves us so much that he quietly cares for us just like a loving parent. God doesn’t have a rock-star mentality. He doesn’t need to make a lot of noise and expect a standing ovation. Certainly, he’s glad when we do praise and thank him, but that’s not why he loves us. He just simply loves us.
And that’s what he wants us to learn to do for others: to simply and quietly and unobtrusively love them. So if you see someone in need and you have what it takes to help them, remember you’re in the Secret Service, and do it secretly.
My Prayer
Dear God,
Thank you for loving me so much that you take care of me—unobtrusively and without drawing attention to yourself. Help me to learn from you as I attempt to reach out to others in a similar way. Show me opportunities to put your love into quiet action.
Amen.
Final Word
But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else.
Mark 10:43–44 NLT
Stone for the Journey
I will do good deeds quietly, without drawing attention to myself.