When the herald sounds the arrival of a Great One,
Heads turn.
Eyes focus on The Coming.
This is the goal, of course,
For greatness must be seen.
But
“Sound no trumpet,” said Jesus
To those who would do good for others.
Fold the bill to hide Ben Franklin’s face in the plate.
Avoid the conversational boast, so casual:
“When I took on my third Compassion child . . .”
In the synagogue,
In the streets,
In the moment,
Mute the fanfare,
Shut the door,
Shut your mouth.
And do good.
Do good, so that goodness may be done.
Do it for the Father who sees in secret
And for Him alone,
For His Greatness must be seen,
And this is your reward.
Because the Sermon on the Mount demands an exceeding and often unseen righteousness,
Photo by Wim van ‘t Einde on Unsplash
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Totally agree with everything said here#blogginggoodtime@_karendenniz
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That’s so good to hear, Karen!
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Visiting from Destination Inspiration. This is such a good reminder, one I know I definitely need. Thank you! Sweet Blessings to you!
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Thanks, Cheryl. I just finished reading our post on fighting fear–thanks for the biblical wisdom!
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Maybe it comes down to our motivation for doing good. Are we doing it to look good to those around us, or to promote goodness itself?
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Hopefully the latter, right? I just think this is a very touchy subject for those of us who are putting our work “out there.” Obviously, we want it to be “seen by others.” So motivation is EVERYTHING!
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As someone who is on the counting team at church, I can testify that the George Washingtons are folded up several times, while the Ben Franklins are laying stretched out for the world to see!
Seriously, though, you are so right. We should all examine our motivations. I find the conversational “blowing of our own trumpets” are the easiest for us all to slip into! (Or is that just me?)
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No, it’s not just you, Jerralea, and thanks for that confirmation from the “counting team.”
Blessings to you!
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This is such a convicting thing. It’s so easy for “self” to slip into our highest endeavors and want a share of the attention or back-patting. I love the old word “vainglory” because it is so apt.
A dear older lady said once that she was so tempted to spiritual pride that she stopped participating in any church ministry. While I understand her heart (and of course ministry doesn’t just take place in church), in my own mind I went back to “let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). We’re supposed to minister for Him, and others will see that- but it’s for His glory, not ours. As was said a few comments earlier, motivation is so key. I pray He will keep me in the right balance.
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I hadn’t thought of “vainglory,” but it’s wonderfully descriptive. We do get our audiences confused, don’t we? And I agree with you that staying in the game is a test of our focus, and I think it’s better to struggle than to sit on the sidelines in order to avoid the temptation.
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A stirring poem. Thank you, Michele!
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Blessed by you!
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Amen, Michele. Great motive check.
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We all need those from time to time.
Great to hear from you, Kelly!
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This is good advice, Michelle.
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Thanks, Ami!
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Michele, this is the line I will be thinking on all day…
“Do good, so that goodness may be done.”
And may my sole reward be that He is seen and glorified.
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Me, too, Joanne. Our motives get so mixed up sometimes. Thanks for reading and sharing!
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Michele, your poem reinforces what Bethany McIlrath wrote this week … “But Jesus …” Thank you for sharing these simple-but-powerful words.
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I also enjoyed that post, but didn’t catch the connection. Thanks for pointing it out!
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Beautiful post, Michele. It reminds me of one of my favorite verses: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.”
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Yes, and Paul goes on to say that we were created for good works, so God clearly had something in mind for us right from the beginning.
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Such beautiful and convicting thoughts, Michele. Am I seeking God’s glory, or seeking people’s approval? Thank you for the pause to look into my heart today!
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Thanks for your good thoughts, Bettie. Taking to take stock of our motives is such a key to growth.
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Great scripture reminder of who matters and sees when we do good when no one is looking. The reward itself is that wonderful feeling that God washes over of a thing done right. 🙂
Peabea from Peabea Scribbles
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“A thing done right!”
Love it–and may there be much of that today!
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Short and sweet and needed. thanks, Michele!. I’ve been having fun showing off others lately – also a good practice. (:
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Yes, you are particularly gifted in this regard, and I’ve experienced the blessing of it myself! So thank you!
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This reminds me of the book Magnificent Obsession :).
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Do you mean the movie starring Rock Hudson or the book by Anne Graham Lotz? 🙂
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I love this! Thanks for sharing it at Booknificent Thursday on Mommynificent.com!
Tina
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Very inspiring and uplifting post. Thanks very much for sharing.
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And thank you for reading, John!
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Beautiful!
Thank you for linking up at Woman to Woman’s Word Filled Wednesday! God bless!
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Michele, it reminds me of a phrase we always told our kids – “Just do the right thing.” Not for anyone to see, but just do the right thing. Sometimes the simplest reminders are the most necessary.
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Yes, and we forget so easily the importance of our motives. The Sermon on the Mount takes me there every time I read it.
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Sometimes we don’t need a lot to words to share a “big” message. Self-righteousness leads to vanity and pride. Turning the glory back to God allows us to grow deeper in relationship with Him. Thank you for this offering.
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So important to do good even when no one is looking and to inspire goodness in others. Thanks for linking up with #globalblogging and don’t forget to update your badge!
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“Even when no one is looking!”
Somewhere I read that this is the true definition of character.
And thanks for the badge reminder.
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[…] That same week, I shared one of my own poems, inspired by a sermon series on Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount from my excellent pastor. If His warning to “beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them” has ever jarred you into pondering your motives, you can read my own reflections on it here. […]
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