Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
How much do we care about recognition as a reward for doing what we should? Probably at least a little, if we are honest. We feel good about helping others. But we also feel good about people seeing that we are a person who helps others. We feel good when we pray. But we also feel good when people know that we pray or that we have mature habits of prayer. In a way, this recognition itself feels like an obligation. We are meeting the expectations of others for how we should behave.
It isn't bad to receive the recognition the world offers. But when we begin to seek it we often shift our actions toward those which yield more recognition. We fail to do what God calls us to do and to try to please other people. This is a trap. Even though the things we do might still be good to one degree or another they are not the specific goods God is asking of us. Even though we might be praying in impressive ways and for long periods we may perhaps be missing a part of prayer that is more simple and humble which the LORD is actually asking of us.
Given all of this, what do we make of Elisha showing off his newfound double portion of Elijah's spirit?
Wielding the mantle that had fallen from Elijah,
Elisha struck the water in his turn and said,
“Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?”
The fifty guild prophets are presumably still watching. Isn't Elisha showing off? No. Here we see the importance of discernment. Elisha isn't doing something publicly for the sake of reward. He is doing it for the sake of the LORD's truth. He needs Israel to understand that the LORD now works through him just as he did through Elijah.
“Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?”
When Elisha struck the water it divided and he crossed over.
If we had miraculous abilities it would be easy for any of us to do what Elisha does just to feel impressive and proud. But Elisha is genuinely concerned about Israel and about the LORD. We need to learn from him. The LORD does not always allow what we do to remain completely hidden.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven (see Matthew 5:16)
The LORD is actually preparing a people who can shine with his light without doing it for their own sakes. He trains us in private and in secret so that we can shine his light in public without succumbing to pride.
Love the LORD, all you his faithful ones!
The LORD keeps those who are constant,
but more than requites those who act proudly.
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