Having written a general article about the craving some have (which I fight) to become a celebrity in their own cyber world and asks the introspective question: could we live in obscurity?
There is a spiritual angle to this as well. Could I serve Christ with few knowing what I am doing for the Lord’s cause? Can I do a good deed to His glory and to accomplish His will and be content that my brethren do not know what I have done? Could I truly keep the right hand uninformed of the left hand’s work?
Do I serve Christ so that others may see. I may not sound the trumpet for all to hear and may refrain from praying loudly on street corners, but do I “glorify God” by proclaiming on social media all the good things I am doing in the kingdom? Could it be that I would never boast in what I have done but would “humblebrag” freely to the clicking likes of others?
Then the accusing question sounds within but a question asked too late for me. You are a preacher. You are not invited to speak in lectureships or gospel meetings around the nation and you write nothing that is posted for a broader audience in bulletins, newsletters, or on the Internet. You do incredible work for the Lord but only the people in Flyover Town, USA (or a small remote town in a foreign country) know what you do. They love you dearly and credit you with their great spiritual growth and you help generations of people follow the Lord. But no one else knows what you are doing and you receive no accolades from brethren in other places. Could you be content with this? Could you be content that aside from your local associations, your works are known only to God? The question is moot for me but may be life changing for another.
Who are we serving? Why are we serving? What is the real answer to these questions?
Consider the attitude of the apostles in 1 Thessalonians 2:4-6:
but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts. For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness. Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ.
As bondservants of Christ, we should heed Paul’s command to those who were physical servants of men in Ephesians 6:5-8:
Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free.
Celebrity is an illusion. How sad if we chase the praise of men and disqualify ourselves from the praise of God (Matthew 6:4, 6, 18). How futile is the fickle praise of men. Let all be done to the glory of God.
Godly Youth 