So should it be with you.
When you have done all you have been commanded, say,
'We are unprofitable servants;
we have done what we were obliged to do.'"
Some things in life are certain, like death and taxes. And you can be certain that if you're looking for your immediate family -- or those you live with -- to appreciate every sacrifice you make, to sing your praises when you are present, and when you're not, you'll be disappointed. It ain't gonna happen.
Anyone who does the right thing and scrupulously takes care of everything which should be taken care of can be sure that no one will notice. It's like when you check the mirror before going out, thinking someone cares how you look. They don't. What they care about is how they look to you, and they're looking for your approval when you see them.
So give them that -- you can do it -- and don't worry about how they think of you. I had a small chunk taken off the right lobe of my ear a few years ago, and wore an ugly bandage on it for several days. If anyone noticed, they never said anything. The wound healed, the different earlobes are still obvious, no one notices.
So the Lord's advice is simply good common sense. Many people, I've noticed, plan to fail. They say things like, "This event is so important; when we offer it, they'll crowd the hall." And so they plan for five hundred with space, seating, food, drinks, and bags of free stuff -- and fifty show up. They planned to fail.
If you've just come in "from plowing or tending sheep in the field," and you expect the Master to say, "'Come here immediately and take your place at table," you're planning to fail. Get over it!
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.