Fame in the Kingdom

In 2 Corinthians Paul deals with some heavy matters in the Church of Corinth. He has addressed a problem with church discipline and has given instructions for how the church should comfort one who was punished for his sins, so that he may not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.

He has offered a clear vision for whatChristianity should look like: humility balanced by boldness, steadfastness buoyed up by faith, freedom constrained by holiness. At the end of chapter 8, he has been outlining some ways for their earnestness to be proven by their generosity, and he gives the above introduction for the one he is sending with Titus to visit them.

It is an ironic statement. For Paul to say this about the brother would have been high praise, yet he does not even mention his name! It could have been Apollos, or Aristarchus, or Tychicus, or Luke, or one of several others. But for Paul it is sufficient to say that the brother is famous and he does not add anything to his commendation.

Have you ever struggled with wanting others to know about what you’re doing? How many hours you put into the Thanksgiving food drive that hardly anyone showed up to help with? All the years you have been sharing the Gospel with that coworker who still just doesn’t seem to take it seriously? How diligently you’ve prepared for that Sunday school lesson and the elderly gentleman in the back corner always falls asleep halfway through? I have certainly felt the sting of wondering whether people appreciate what I’ve done, and sometimes it can even turn into bitterness.

But in typical fashion, Paul makes no provision for the flesh. He matter-of-factly lays out the brother’s preaching ministry with obvious expectations that it will be well received and that the Gospel will come to Corinth with the same impact it has had in other churches. He is complimentary in his introduction, yet he does not feel the need to mention the brother’s name. This kind of balanced, measured use of praise and modesty is in keeping with his teachings earlier in the letter.

Even more importantly, it is very much in line with the kind of Gospel ministry Jesus Christ himself lays out for us in Matthew 6:3-4. “Do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,” he says, “so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

It can be a difficult pill to swallow. We all want to be acknowledged and to have others appreciate what we do. But both Jesus and Paul are, I believe, putting into place a new kind of ministry standard for us. Fame (that is, acknowledgement and appreciation) is fine and there is nothing wrong with wanting it. We just need to realize that we have been looking for it in all the wrong places.

As Christians we know that even though we are called to work diligently, our treasures are to be stored up in Heaven, not in this world. We know that our primary allegiance is to Christ’s Kingdom and not to any earthly citizenship. We know that our minds are to be set on things above and not on earthly pursuits such as fame or power or the desires of the flesh. So in terms of our legacy, doesn't it follow that we must focus first and only on what God thinks of us, and not on what people think? We should be prepared for the kind of “anonymous praise” Paul offers the brother who was coming to preach to the Corinthians.
This truth will change us. It will chasten our pride, soften our ambition, and make us think more about each other than about ourselves. We will learn to give with no thought of return. We will serve gladly in obscurity. And when Judgment Day comes, we will not go up to the Lord insisting that we have prophesied in his name and done many great works. But when he calls us to himself and tells us that all the good works we did to the least of these were actually done to him, we will accept his commendation with thankfulness. And we will cast our crowns before him in eternal praise.

Lord, thank you for the fame that you give us as your faithful servants. We do not deserve it, and we know that you have not treated us as our sins deserve. Help us not to chafe when our names are not mentioned as often as we would prefer, but help us instead to rejoice that they are written in your Book of Life. Help us to offer up any praise we receive as fragrant incense before you as we seek to help others know your glorious grace. Amen.

Consider This: Fame in the Kingdom of God is not what it is in the world around us. It is for the worship of God, not the worship of us. But it is always an opportunity to make much of Jesus Christ.