Yes, I am an out of control nerd who is very excited to write about my favorite superhero, Spiderman. I love stories with great characters who I can relate to, and our friendly neighborhood Spiderman certainly fits the role. Superheroes are characters who we can look up to as they fulfill a number of desirable attributes: honor, integrity, selflessness, and an inherent goodness. They are a symbol of hope that provides us with an inspirational ideal to live up to. In case you can’t tell, I love superheroes. The most beneficial stories are the ones that make us think, and there was a particular aspect of Spiderman stories that really stuck out to me this past week. Spiderman always strives to do what’s right, but is always blamed for doing what’s wrong. He is constantly saving a life only to be blamed for a theft or murder he didn’t commit. Most of the public hates him, but he keeps on doing the right thing anyways. For him, it’s not about being recognized or honored, it’s just about doing what’s right.
This is a lesson we all need to learn. It’s so hard to do the right thing without receiving any credit. Like, really really hard. I know it’s a constant struggle for me. I want to do the right thing, and then when I do I quickly find myself discouraged if no one has noticed it. It reminds me of the Pharisee and the tax collector (Luke 18:9-14). The Pharisee walked out into the public and prayed aloud to God, proclaiming his own great virtue in comparison to tax collectors and adulterers. He wanted people to notice the good things he did. The tax collector, however, fell on his face and cried out to God, “Have mercy on me a sinner!” Consider these words of Jesus in the gospel of Matthew:
Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. – Matthew 6:1-4
We are called to do good because it’s what we were made for. Christ rescued us from the wrath of God and is continuing to draw us into His Father’s grace and mercy, so that we might be made more like Him. It is this great love that spurs us on to do good. It’s not the approval of other people. Sometimes our good works won’t be noticed. In fact, there may be times where we are maligned and hated for something we didn’t even do. The whole world may think you’re the bad guy, when in all reality you’ve done the right thing. It’s really hard to deal with something like that. Everything in us wants to cry out, “You’re wrong about me! I’ve done good. Look at all these things I’ve done! Don’t you care?” We want to defend our reputation and our honor. But we must hold back. We will not receive a reward for the things we do merely to get praise. Instead, Christ says, the good we do must be done in secret. Those are the kinds of good works that God will look upon and smile. He is our audience of one. There is no one else to please. We have no need to defend our honor. After all, “Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect?” (Rom. 8:33a). What does it matter if someone charges you with a wrong you haven’t committed? They have dared to bring a charge against God’s chosen people, yet “It is God who justifies” (Rom. 8:33b). We don’t need to defend our reputation or our honor because it is already defended. Jesus Christ Himself sits at our Father’s side and pleads “This friend of mine is not who people say He is. He’s not a murderer and a thief and a liar and a reviler and a selfish bigot. Those things have been washed away in my blood. No, now He is my child. He is my friend. He is my little sheep. He is mine.” So we need not worry whether our good works get noticed. Our Father in heaven has noticed. We need not worry about our reputation. Our reputation in heaven has already been secured through the blood of Christ.
Raj Eiamworakul