On my last post I focused on the vanity of seeking fame, pointing out its sting and side effects. As I mentioned, it is a quest challenging the nobility of the Christian faith and usurping the place that belongs to God and to Him alone. It is, in its marrow, an expression of narcissism which can only thrive in an unsanctified mind.
Two diverging principles
The disparity between this pagan pursuit and the Christian pursuit is salient. Their respective cardinal rule sets them far apart and reveals incompatible principles, for while the former says: “Do not do your good works in secret if you want to be known publicly” (John 7:4), the latter says: “As much as you can, do your good works in secret.” Here are some verses expressing the divine principle:
Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 3 But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.
And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” (Matt. 6:1–6)
And again:
Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” (Matt. 6:16–18)
These words—spoken by Jesus—don’t only disclose what is expected of us, but also reveal the divine mind, a mind altogether discrepant from the seeker of fame. The tragedy today is that this itch for human praise has become so common among Christians that it is regarded as acceptable. Hence, the “show-yourself-to-the-world”, uttered by Jesus’ brothers in John 7:4, is being obeyed by the ambitious aspirants as if it was a divine injunction, and this, to the detriment of in-secret practices. It may safely be said that the drive for praise will always deflect us from the path of righteousness. We read in John’s gospel:
Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.” (John 12:42,43)
Here we have it again, people’s faith neutralized by a penchant for human eulogies.
A deleterious conflict
Another disservice the seeker of fame imposes on himself is that the very intent of his heart causes him to drift away from love, and from it continually; and to make things worse, he is—most of the time—unaware of his catastrophic endeavor.
Let me juxtapose the mindset of the fame-seeker with what the Scripture has to say about love and you will understand the problem.
Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (1 Cor. 13:4–7)
Now, as we have already seen, the carnal peacock loves to parade himself, exhibiting his diplomas or good works as one seeking his own prestige, thus repudiating the ways of love and the glory thereof. And since God is love (1 John 4:8), the seeker of fame finds himself rejecting God and His ways. All in all, it is a self-destructive aspiration which is recurrently confounded with piety or Christian zeal.
The self-effacing character of God
At the other antipode we have the Father, and as we have seen in Matthew 6:6, He dwells in a place without spotlights, away from the unauthorized observer: “pray to your Father who is in the secret place”. It follows that only those dwelling in that place can get acquainted with Him and see His works, for they are often performed behind the veil of anonymity. That is why people are often unaware of God’s greatness and generosity as the following verses demonstrate:
“For she did not know that I gave her grain, new wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold—which they prepared for Baal.” (Hosea 2:8)
“I taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by their arms; but they did not know that I healed them. 4 I drew them with gentle cords, with bands of love, and I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck. I stooped and fed them.” (Hosea 11:3,4).
These people were unable to see God’s faithful providence because He is absolutely dissociated from self-advertisement. He worked, and still works, behind the veil (Heb. 6:19).
He made darkness His secret place; his canopy around Him was dark waters and thick clouds of the skies” (Psalm 18:11).
Conclusion
Now do not misunderstand me, I am not saying we should do nothing in public. Obviously the preaching of the Gospel and other Christian duties must be done openly. But it is important to purify our motives and keep them in check; all the while giving heed to the exhortation of Wisdom: “Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate” (Rom. 12:16). This is the mind of Christ and one of the ground rules of the Christian Way.
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