I find it curious that God gave us such instructions on the “best way” to give to others. I imagine that Christ, understanding the inner workings of human beings, knew exactly what He was doing by inviting us to sneak in a good deed in secret.
What if one time this week – when the thought of doing something good for someone arises –you let yourself do it, and better yet, you try your best to not let them know you are behind it? Imagine, your colleague at work is stressed, busy beyond belief. Their work is behind, they are craving an extra kick to get them through, and you notice. While they are gone for another cup of coffee, you slip a few complimenting words of encouragement on a sticky note, post it to their keyboard, and leave the scene like you stole the cookie from the cookie jar. With all your might, you try not to get caught and oh, the giddy five-year-old in you enjoys the commanded game of hide-n-seek. For that short moment you look up to God in secret...and giggle.
You may or may not get caught in your secret do-goodery, but then it hits you. The Father has already rewarded you. You have lost complete sight of the begrudging email in draft requesting overdue work from that one difficult colleague, and you have forgotten the sighing fact that you too are harried and overworked. Instead of spending a stressful minute whacking up a tough email, you have created an inside joke with God, through which God shared with you a glimpse into one of His favorite activities – sneaking good into people’s lives. And you are on the receiving end.
God subtly weaves blessings into the backdrop of our lives to which we do not pay attention – birds chirping behind the morning alarm, a soft breeze on our habitual way out the door, an unexpected jam that comes on the radio, a funny message sent from a loved one, or an unexpected compliment when we need it. God adorns us with sneaky little gifts hinting toward how much He loves us. When we secretly do the same to others who are poor in finance, in spirit, or in encouragement, God joins in on our secret, and reveals to us the sneaking good He has been doing for us all day long.
Reflection by Jack Padon ’19
