February 8, 2024 — Secrecy as a Spiritual Discipline

This Spiritual discipline may sound just a little odd, but the idea is one that Jesus mentions in his teaching in Matthew 6:16ff. Jesus is heard to say, “Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face… so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you”

In this regard, during the season of Lent, it could be a spiritual discipline to practice doing good deeds for others and not letting anyone know you are doing them.

You see, there is always the little voice in the back of my head telling me to feel good about being recognized for the good things that I do. This, of course is not the reason I do the good deeds that I do, but the little voice never gives up. I think it is human nature to want others to know the good things we do, but this is not the reason G-d wants us to do good deeds. Good deeds are to come from the heart – and done whether someone notices or not.

About ten years ago there was a young man from my congregation who died who, in my mind, was the epitome of what I am speaking about. This man was often at church doing the work of G-d, not to be recognized for doing the work of G-d. He did not want to run a committee or be part of any group, he just wanted to serve G-d as he struggled with finding Grace in his life.

As I often say to people as I leave a meeting, “Do good works”, my friends, but not to earn G-d’s Grace, nor to be recognized for doing it – just do them.

Pastor Dave