Am I now seeking the approval of man or God?

I have trouble with sticking to just one book lately. I’m halfway through about 5 or 6 novels because I can’t help myself but trying to keep up with each storyline is getting a little tiresome. For the moment I’ve settled with the Heavenly Man, the autobiography of Chinese Brother Yun. It details much of the oppression and persecution faced by Christians in China at the hands of the government. The faithfulness of Brother Yun and his fellow believers is continually astounding and I’m once again being challenged to think about the sacrifices I would make for the Lord.

It’s funny, I wonder whether or not I could pack my bags and re-locate to deepest darkest Africa to serve God, and yet I struggle to give him perhaps another $10 this week. I wonder whether or not I could endure torture, even death for God’s name, and yet I shy away from walk-up evangelism on campus. I wonder whether I could teach and demonstrate God’s love to an unreached people group and yet my prayer life is often less of a priority than sleep seems be.

Why are the smallest sacrifices so hard to make?

I can only conclude that pride is what keeps me from being disciplined and from continuing to serve God in a way that is unseen. Humans simply can’t help it – adoration, respect, even in the smallest dose, we crave it. Please do not misunderstand me, I do not believe that every leadership position we take on, every talk we give, every event we volunteer for, is done simply to receive praise. Certainly we do these things first and foremost in service of God and others. It is just that when we serve in this way, all eyes are on us and we start to think that the little things are not as important.

I get it now. Why we shouldn’t just strive to do ‘big things’. The little things are actually the hardest to put into practise and yet the best way in which we can be serving God. He is a God who values humility and the one who can come to him everyday for a decent quiet time is just as worthy as the next Billy Graham.

With reference to scripture, Matthew chapter 6 provides three consecutive examples of the ‘little things’ and their importance:

(ESV)
But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your father who sees in secret will reward you. – Matthew 6:3-4

But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your father who is in secret. And your father who sees in secret will reward you. – Matthew 6:6

But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your father who sees in secret will reward you. – Matthew 6:17-18

To sum it up:
Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. – Matthew 6:1

It’s just a reminder, really, that the small and ‘difficult’ things we do don’t actually go unnoticed. They are seen and what’s more they are rewarded, by God. I’m pretty sure that the praise of God is worth more than the praise of a world of men.

Being a leader is an amazing privilege and they are sorely needed but perhaps before I put my hand up, I should realise that it’s the concentration on the little things that produces someone worth following.

A leader is best when people barely knows he exists - Lao Tzu