“Pick me, pick me, pick me!” I love that scene from the movie Shrek and I have laughed over it many times. What a representative statement of our need to be noticed. As we mature and grow in our spiritual lives, we come to understand the best way to be seen by our heavenly Father is not to seek out attention for ourselves.
As a middle child myself I have to say, “what?” How can one get fed if we don’t squawk the loudest? (The nature channels have taught us it’s the loudest baby bird beak that gets the food!) By feeding, I mean attention. Our natural inclination of nourishment is to be noticed. Isn’t that love after all? Maturity in faith asks us to deny this very characteristic within ourselves; thus the teaching of “how to die to ourselves!”
Why wouldn’t we want that pat on the back for doing something good for someone else? What is so wrong with that? I scratch a back, I get mine scratched too.
The nourishment offered by immediate recognition is limited. It has a short shelf life. To keep getting attention from the world around us means we have to keep topping ourselves and the effort becomes exhausting.
What a revelation to find rest and relaxation in “not being seen”. If no one sees you do something, there is no pressure to perform acts of kindness. This is where the fun really begins. These become like “covert operations” and your role takes on some intrigue. Now it’s you who gets to pick the mission target, date range and gift of love to be delivered.
Our nourishment is now sustainable. Our attention comes from the inexhaustible resource.
Mat 6:4 That your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.