I have a need to be seen. Without God, the temptation is to satisfy this need through people. Perhaps in my family relationships, career, ministry but whatever the avenue we have ample resources today for promoting ourselves and pursuing validation in the things we do. I’ve even found myself disappointed by a cold meal because instead of enjoying it piping hot as it arrived, I spent too long trying to get the most delicious looking picture for my Instagram. Does the reward of being seen by people yield satisfaction or the hamster wheel of needing to be seen again and again? Jesus addresses this issue with the Pharisees as they test Him in his claim to be the Messiah. His assessment of their motives brought me to the realization that when I am seen and approved by God, it is enough.
But be not you called Rabbi, for one is your master, even Christ and all you are brethren.
Matthew 23:8
Here Jesus warned his disciples not to be like the Pharisees who needed to be seen and celebrated by people. We are all brothers on the same level. How can we validate and elevate one another? Such devotion belongs to God who is above us. Only He can elevate and validate us.
Jesus also warned his disciples to be careful of the way the Pharisees approached worship. In considering Jesus’ assessment of their lifestyle we can better discern why we should abandon the need to be seen by people.
But all their works they do for to be seen by men: They make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the border of their garments, and love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets, and to be called by men Rabbi, Rabbi….Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites for you make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
Matthew 23:5-25
In this passage, Jesus describes a trap to be avoided for our own benefit. When we perform for people their evaluation is surface at best. Only God sees what is within. As a result we have a false sense of accomplishment in being able to succeed at a surface level. Deep down we know there must be more, hence the need to hear praise from one another repeatedly. The Pharisees enjoyed a fake life of prestige because of the visible image they promoted about themselves but Jesus reveals that their actual condition was both visible and invisible. God sees and evaluates both. They had forgotten God as their true master and judge. The One whose “well done” has true meaning, and were content to chase it from their brothers who lacked the capacity to truly see the whole person. Surface praise isn’t true praise and is void of satisfaction. Furthermore, it robs God of the praise only He deserves.
What I find most ironic in the moments when I should be enjoying the moment instead of trying to capture and share the moment with others, is my inability to actually truly experience the moment I shared. My cold meal would have been delicious had I eaten it when it arrived. Yet I shared a story with my community that it was delicious when in reality it wasn’t delicious for me. My need to be seen had robbed me of actually enjoying the thing I had wanted so desperately to share. It can’t be enough for me to be celebrated for the life I am reaching to live, but never fully grasping. Jesus died and was raise to life so that I would live the rich life that only He can give. As I look to Him, I am able to live a life where He sees me and leads me to good pasture (Psalms 23).