Working Quietly and with Contentment

"Be especially careful when you are trying to be good so that you don't make a performance out of it. It might be good theater, but the God who made you won't be applauding. 2-4"When you do something for someone else, don't call attention to yourself. You've seen them in action, I'm sure—'playactors' I call them— treating prayer meeting and street corner alike as a stage, acting compassionate as long as someone is watching, playing to the crowds. They get applause, true, but that's all they get. When you help someone out, don't think about how it looks. Just do it—quietly and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in love, working behind the scenes, helps you out.” (Matthew 6:1)

Lots of folks want attention these days. In many circles the thing to do is get your fifteen minutes of fame. Yet, what is fifteen minutes compared to eternity?

Our loving God works behind the scenes of our lives. He doesn’t ask people to respect him. His name has never been on a cereal box. His advertising budget is zero. Yet His unconditional love draws our hearts to Him and we proclaim Him with every chance we get. We are not much in the eyes of this world but with as much respect as we can muster we give that right back to God. We can’t help it. We’ve fallen in love with God because he first loved us (1 John 4:10).

And when you love someone you naturally want to be like them, near them, and hear their voice. We want to be like our Savior. To work behind the scenes. To not work for praise, attention, or promotion but because we know that God’s given us this present work to perform and we want to do our best… for him. We want our lives to shine in the workplace by being unnoticed. By not calling attention to how we do something or why or when but to do our tasks well and with good order. For “godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6).

‘Father, I’m sorry to admit but often I’m not content, often I get caught up in the rat race, forgive me. You’ve given me the work that is before me and for this I’m thankful. You’ve given me the leaders that are over me and I’m thankful for them as well, give them wisdom and peace as they struggle with the demands of today. Help me and teach me to work quietly, and with contentment.’