In the two previous meditations, we looked at the choices we make with respect to our material needs (Med.#14 & Med.#15). We now look at what Jesus says about the choices we make in regard to our deeper needs of the soul—for personal recognition (‘to be seen’: Mat.6:1,5), for personal affirmation (‘to be honored’: 6:2), and for personal security in a society where righteous relationships with God and with people are clear to all (‘that they may show’: 6:16).

My Father understands that I have these needs of the soul, and he promises to meet them… but in his way and in his timing. His way is to meet them first ‘in secret’, in a personal relationship where he is the one who affirms (rewards) me. And in his time, when Jesus returns, he will reward me openly for doing his will in private as well as in public. But on that day Jesus will also reveal those who practiced spiritual disciplines and exercised supernatural power to gain public recognition and affirmation, and to impose their forms of godliness on society. For any good religious practices and demonstrations of miraculous power can be used for evil. And many who think they are defending God’s principles and power in society will end up being told by God that they are ‘hypocrites’ and no different from other ‘lawless ones’, because their lack of relationship with (being ‘known’ by) him, resulted in evil fruit (thorns and thistles) that wounded and abused others.

The only way to avoid such an end is to cultivate a personal relationship with my Father ‘in secret’. For what I do in secret will overflow in my religious words and actions, If I focus on learning what is his will and on doing it—whether I get recognition from others or not—I will grow to be like my Father and bear the good fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. And it is ‘in secret’ that I learn to wait for his timing—for His Spirit to convict others of sin and to bring about the public vindication of godliness in my family, my work place, and in my society.

Please note: Jesus does not reject the traditional spiritual disciplines (‘When you give, …pray, …fast). But the key to my bearing good fruit lies in practicing these disciplines with the Father where he is, ‘in secret’. By listening to his Spirit and his Word, and by putting into practice what I hear and read—‘in secret’—I will receive recognition and affirmation from him ‘in secret’ as well. Through this personal dialogue with my Father, I not only get to know him better, but I make myself ‘known’ to him, and become more like him.

My Father ‘sees what is done in secret’. Some people use this truth solely to make us afraid of God. But there is also a positive connotation to it. My Father knows my heart in ways that no one else does! When I have tried my best to do his will and I am overlooked, misunderstood or encounter opposition, it is a great comfort to know that “He knows” my heart. He is a Father who knows me in ways that I do not even know myself, and he longs to affirm me, to reward every small step in relational righteousness I have made with a quiet ‘well done’. Remember, he is like Jesus, not like earthly father-figures who were ‘evil’ (Med.#10 & Med.#14). A few years ago I was struggling with discouragement over lack of results in our ministry. Yet in more than one prayer time, I was surprised to hear an inner voice say: ‘You are my son, I’m pleased with you.’ I can’t tell you what that meant! Even his correction is accompanied by affirmation because we are his precious sons and daughters. Yet fear can keep me from hearing these words of affirmation which he desires to speak to me ‘in secret’.

That our Father ‘is in secret’ has another implication for our religious behavior. He often does not act immediately to publicly expose unrighteousness in the world. Nor does he always reveal (show) his righteous purposes right away. For many generations, he kept ‘the mystery of his will’ hidden in himself and didn’t reveal it (Med.#6). When you find it difficult to put up with the ungodliness around you, and you suddenly feel religiously obliged to speak out or show people the way it is supposed to be, consider your Father’s patience. Think of how long he put up with evil before revealing his relational righteousness[ii], while giving witness ‘in secret’ ways like: daily ‘causing his sun to rise on the unrighteous’, and giving them ‘rain…and crops in their season’ (Med.#12, Acts 14:17).

While Jesus gives us authority to prophesy, cast out demons and do miracles in his name, it is not these that make us like our Father. His character is displayed most often in deeds we do out of the public spotlight, like: peacemaking (Med.#11), forgiving those who have wronged me (Med.#13), doing good to enemies, being kind to foreigners, and being compassionate to people who are ungrateful (Med.#12). But unless the righteous character of my Father is growing in my heart—through my relationship with him ‘in secret’—my religious deeds will not only be hypocritical and empty, but they will be downright abusive—like thorns and thistles. Sheep-like behavior cannot conceal the casualties that people with wolf-like hearts leave in their wake.

[i] The whole Scripture Passage is taken from J.K. Mellis, The Good News of the Messiah by the Four Witnesses, pp.67-69.

[ii] Greek dikaio-sunee = ‘righteous-with’ or ‘relational righteousness’ with God, or with people, or with both (See note [ii], Med.#11).

[iii] After addressing his listeners as a group, using the 2^nd person plural (‘YOU’), Jesus switches to the 2^nd person singular (‘when you give…, etc.’). He does this to personalize the practice of all three spiritual disciplines (giving, prayer and fasting), and to make each disciple’s relationship with the Father personal as well (‘your Father’) .