Naps for Credit

Suggested Reading: Matthew 6:1-18

When I was a kid I used to pull this trick on my mom, though I wouldn't be surprised if she knew I was doing it. She would send me in for a nap and I would go in and lay down. I didn't want to take a nap and I didn't really want to lay down for very long. So I would lay in bed for about half an hour, maybe read a book when no one was walking past the bedroom door or do something else to keep myself occupied (and awake). When I felt enough time had passed, I would force myself to yawn several times so my eyes would get watery, and then I would rub one side of my face really hard so that it was all red and looked like I had been laying on it. Then I would get out of bed and go into the living room. Without saying a word about having gone to sleep or taking a nap, I would walk in really slowly like I was still waking up and then sit down on the couch and yawn really big. If my mom ever caught on she never said anything about it. I thought I was being really clever at the time and even then I enjoyed acting. You see, at that age, I wasn't really all that concerned about taking a nap like I was supposed to. I was only concerned with looking like I had taken a nap and with getting credit for it.

Fortunately, I grew out of that phase and I now understand that, most of the time, doing or not doing something is more important than the mere appearance of doing something (politicians could learn a thing or two there!).  But every now and then I still catch myself more concerned with looking like I'm doing something than I am concerned with really doing it. We've all been there. To avoid having to talk with someone we pretend that we're busy and hope they leave us alone, or we do just enough on a project so that it looks like we're making progress while we're really wasting time on other things. Or, we make a big show of struggling with our wallet or purse so people see us putting our tithe in the offering plate. In all of those instances, we're not really concerned about doing something, we concerned about getting credit for it.

In Matthew 6, Jesus discussed that phenomenon when it comes to our spiritual life.  He warned his listeners about being more concerned with credit for doing a thing than with the thing itself.  In 6:1, Jesus said, "Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven" (NIV).  He then went on to give examples of people who give to the needy or pray, all the while drawing attention to themselves so that they look good.  In each of the examples Jesus gave, the people in question actually did the good deeds but only so they would get credit from people for doing them. These people gave to the needy but had no more concern for the needy than a carpenter for a nail; both the nail and the needy were simply tools to be used for other purposes. The person praying wasn't actually  concerned with talking to God, only with other people thinking that he was talking to God.  In each case, Jesus warned that the rewards for those good deeds had already been received in full.

How did Jesus suggest we remedy being more concerned about the appearance than with the good deed? Do the thing in secret. After all, if no one ever knows that you are doing good, it's hard to be tempted to do it for the sake of appearances. But, notice, Jesus did not say to stop doing good deeds or to stop praying. Never do that! But make sure it happens when no one can see but God.  Credit is not a bad thing and it is a good feeling to get patted on the back from time to time.  But credit, when it comes, should only be a perk that comes with getting caught doing the right thing. Credit should never be the point of doing the right thing.

Are you concerned you aren't getting all the credit you deserve? Have you been tempted to improve your image by being seen doing some good things? If you do things for credit, credit is all you will ever get. But if you do things secretly, for the sake of doing the right thing, for the sake of pleasing your Father in heaven, credit will be the least of your rewards.

Listening to Beggars Like the Sheriff of Nottingham

Suggested Reading: Nehemiah 1:1-4, 2:1-5 (or read the full context Nehemiah 1:1-2:5)

In Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, I have always found the scene of Maid Merian and the Sheriff of Nottingham leaving church services to be a fascinating picture of the way we are versus the way we should be. When services are over, a crowd of beggars waits outside, hoping for handouts from some of the wealthy people attending church. The Sheriff of Nottingham, of course, barges through the crowd of beggars, pushing and shoving his way through without ever considering their cries. As Merian makes her way through the crowd, she turns to her lady in waiting who has a bag of money already set aside for this purpose  and begins handing out money until she has given it all away. I don't point to this scene as an indication that we should give to every beggar we see (although we might make a case for that), but to point out the difference in their reactions to the peoples' needs.

The scene, really, demonstrates the difference between people who refuse to acknowledge the need around them and the people who allow themselves to be affected by it. Another example of the latter is Nehemiah. Nehemiah was a royal official for King Artaxerxes who had stayed behind when the exiles returned to Judah and Jerusalem. When Nehemiah's brother arrived with news of how bad the people were faring, Nehemiah recorded his reaction: "When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven" (Nehemiah 1:4, NIV). Then he approached the king in order to make a difference.

When was the last time you were affected at the sight or knowledge of someone else's need? By the need of someone outside your own little bubble of acquaintances? Nehemiah was a trusted official of the king who didn't have to worry or be affected by the problems of people hundreds of miles away. But Nehemiah allowed himself to be affected by them. In fact, he allowed himself to be affected to the point of mourning and fasting for days and then coming up with a plan to resolve the situation.  But we, on the other hand, often get uncomfortable with  another person's needs. We see a homeless person and we look away because we are uncomfortable. Watching television, we see a commercial for an organization trying to raise money for children living in poverty across the world and we change the channel before we get the urge to pick up the phone and do something about it. We notice at a restaurant a person sitting alone and looking miserable and we sit with our backs to them so we don't see them and feel guilty for doing nothing.

Proverbs 13:21 reads, "If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered" (NIV). This principle extends beyond simply helping the poor. When we ignore anyone in need, we earn the right to be ignored ourselves.

When you see someone in need, don't turn away to avoid being uncomfortable. Let the need affect you. You might even be able to do something about it.