The Invisible Wo/Man

Your giving should be in secret. Then your Father Who sees in secret will reward you. When you pray, go into a room by yourself. After you have shut the door, pray to your Father Who is in secret. Then your Father Who sees in secret will reward you. Matthew6:4-6NLV

Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. 1Thessalonians5:12ERV

Do you remember watching “The Invisible Man” on TV when you were young? It was compulsive viewing because although you knew the tell tale signs he would leave behind, you were never sure where he was unless he had wound the white roll of bandages around his body, or the vase would make its way through mid air to crash over the unsuspecting villain’s head.

I found myself asking the question recently, “are there any invisible men or women in the church”? In fact, in my church? Apparently there are times our secrecy is needed, but other times when the secrecy of the invisible man or woman is not acceptable to our Saviour. We are usually quite good at praying or giving in secret, and not boasting about it, but what of the other times mentioned in the verse above when we are told to acknowledge those … among you? And what does the Lord tell us to do?

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. John13:34NIV

We have a command, straight from Jesus Himself to love each other, just as He loved us! That my friends is real love, and very visibly public. It is how the world knows for certain that we are Jesus’ followers. When we love one another, we cannot hide it so in that context, there should be no invisible men or women in any fellowship. Sadly though, this is not the case, and we do have invisible people in our churches. Yes, even in my church.

That new wee family that have recently started to come, and sit at the back. Who are they? What are their names? The small, frail, elderly lady who sometimes can come when she is strong enough? Where does she live, and how does she get to church? The man who is looking for a church to settle in and sits over at the end of the row, have you talked to him? Would anyone think about phoning any of them, dropping them a card, or even paying them a visit? These folks are examples of the invisible men and women, and they are in our churches. We should have no invisible people especially in church. I wonder how I would know this?

Silence

O LORD, you are my rock of safety. Please help me; don't refuse to answer me. For if you are silent, I might as well give up and die. Psalm28:1NLT

Silence is suspicious! Ask any parent who suddenly notices that the playful laughter and giggles of their little treasures stop, followed by silence. More often than not, it means they have found something to do that would not be liked by mum and dad. Silence is suspicious. Ask the person who is awakened from a deep sleep by the eerie sound of silence as their house is violated by a cat burglar. Yes, silence is suspicious and unhealthy.

We too become silent at times, but ask yourself when that is most likely to happen? I can see two possibilities at least. One, when a usually down and negative person who talks a lot about all his overstated medical ailments, has come to realise that s/he really IS ill this time so nothing constructive can be added or contrived, so silence is their only way out to save face. And Two, which I think more likely, is the silence of someone who has been hurt in some way by friends or trusted colleagues, but due to a sense of misplaced loyalty cannot, and will not, speak out against them. The realisation that they may not be all that s/he had thought is just too much to bear, so the obvious response becomes a retreated silence. The trouble now is that any underlying issue cannot and will not be addressed.

When your normally upbeat and talkative friend goes quiet, ask yourself why, then do the best and most helpful thing you possibly can. Draw alongside to let them know you are here for them, and most of all, you care. You may never know in this life the good you have done, but be assured, your friend will know. A parting thought because the opposite holds true too: If you, or no one else, comes alongside for them, that has an equal and opposite effect on your friend.

We must not get tired of doing good. We will receive our harvest of eternal life at the right time. We must not give up. When we have the opportunity to do good to anyone, we should do it. But we should give special attention to those who are in the family of believers. Galatians6:9-10ERV