5-24-20 In Secret

Quote: “Real generosity is doing something nice for someone who will never find out.” – Frank A. Clark

My word of the year this year for 2020 is the word “serve”.  I really felt God was telling me that I’ve lived a very self-serving life and it was time to spend a year serving others, living a more others-focused life.  But as I landed on my word, I also felt there were 2 strings attached – 2 actually.  The first was that I needed to learn how to serve in ways that weren’t easy for me.  And second, He wanted me to eat some humble pie.  In other words, He wanted me to serve in secret.  Do things behind the scenes, focus on the ones who are always overlooked, and if anyone does say thank you, give all the credit back to God.

I then asked Him for a new word.  (lol!)

One of the Bible Study classes I taught this winter was on spiritual gifts.  (If you are interested in learning more about this, you can go take the free test on www.spiritualgiftstest.com). My top 2 spiritual gifts are teaching and encouragement – comes naturally, really don’t have work hard to do these things.  But because God was asking me to serve in ways that weren’t easy, that meant I had to look at the gifts I scored lowest in and serve in those areas.  My 2 lowest were mercy and discernment.  Then I had to figure out ways to serve but do it secret or at the least, divert all the attention back to the One who gave me the word of the year, my Heavenly Father.

To say it has been a tough year is an understatement.  I’ve had to do a lot of growing, including doing very lengthy word studies on pride and meekness.

But as a Christian, it is my job to follow the example of Jesus.  And He says a lot in the Bible about taking care of the needy, the orphans, the widowed, and the hungry.  But He also says we are not to promote ourselves or puff ourselves up.  Every good deed we do is not natural, so there must be a supernatural power helping us.  And that means that He deserves the credit, not us.  It’s God working in us that brings out kindness and genorosity.

Jesus gives very specific instructions about this in Matthew 6:4.  He said, “So that your giving will be done in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”   Our reward is not here on earth.  Our rewards are in heaven.

Watch for the people who are serving in secret.  These are the true heroes.  They don’t have to brag about what they’ve done.  They let others brag them up.