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?

Alone? But When?

The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” Genesis2:18NIV

I was wondering if God had a time scale in mind in this verse. If it is not good for ‘the man’ to be alone because he needs a helper, does the promise or need of that helper run out in his lifetime? This refers to life in general, but does it apply right up to death too? Does it equally apply to a bereaved widower? Or a man whose wife has left him alone? So many questions, and none of them insignificant in their own right.

There is a world wide move to show that woman (I use the word ‘woman’ deliberately, as opposed to ‘women’) is an equal entity to man, but this verse would clearly show this not to be true. I know some men who live on their own, and they obviously need and want the helper that God speaks of. Men may be stronger in the brawn department, but they do lack a lot in the softer, thoughtful, emotional side. God knew right from the start that the combination of a man and woman rightly defined by Him would be an unbeatable combination, and it surely is!

Is it wrong then to believe that a man left on his own, is incomplete? Without the other part which would make him whole? The woman who would be the heart to his head. The sensitive nature to his stubborn outlook? The understanding to his closed mind?

Take a look around your men friends who are living life on their own and ask yourself this. As a general rule, would they be happier and more complete, living as God declared in His Word? I am not saying that every single man should be on the lookout for a wife, but I am thinking from this verse, it would appear to be part of God’s master plan for a balanced life, society, and world, and so some or even many, could be missing out on one of God’s, and life’s, earliest and greatest pleasures and Blessings.

A final thought. If all that applies to men, would it not also apply equally to women? After all, God’s plan from the beginning is for pairs of men and women as a complete union?