It’s Easy to Make Headlines

There’s a couple pieces of the Bible I wish I could get rid of:

“But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.” (Matthew 6:3)

“When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (Matthew 6:6)

Life would sure be easier if God encouraged me to brag about all my little achievements.

Just last week Rose came home from a long day of work and I immediately rattled off all the things I did around the house, hoping she might be impressed. “Hey Rosie, I mowed the lawn, raked the leaves, did the dishes, swept the floor, vacuumed…I deserve a husband raise.” All this was done as a sort of pat myself on the back, hoping my wife would also be amazed at my amazingness.

I find it easier to draw attention to myself than trying to convince myself I’ve done nothing. I prefer to convince my left hand how much my right hand has done, and then I let plenty of other people know how much my hands have done. You have  an ego to feed too, right?

Why can’t Christianity just fit nicely within my preferred lifestyle? Why can’t following Jesus make much of me rather than denying myself? These are the questions I often fight against.

In our social media driven society, making much of yourself is a never-ending allure.

Share about a great achievement on Facebook.

Post a self-portrait on Instagram so others can see the new outfit you’re rolling with and tell you how great you look.

Tweet about all the amazing people you get to hang out with everyday.

It’s all a “feed me” mentality where you get built up, hiding your lack of confidence in who you are.

It’s the people who don’t share about themselves that I trust the most, why do I ignore that when it comes to my own life? Probably because I have a hard time not being made much of. Frankly life is just more enjoyable when the world revolves and me and the things I have going on.

The truth is, following Christ is about living a hidden life. The kind of life where you go unnoticed. A life where you steward well what has been placed before you. All this without accolades or recognition. All this without your name shining in bright lights.

It’s easy to make headlines, it’s much harder to deny yourself.

Following Christ is the challenge of doing the little things well. It’s a challenge of daily giving up your own agenda so you can take up His.

Make it a practice to first follow Christ behind closed doors.

It will immediately change your engagement with life after the door has been opened.

Tyler Braun

**********************************************************************************************************************

SGMRadio is delighted to post guest blogs from Christian writers across the nation and across the world. Some of these writers are musicians, some are photographers, some are philosophers. We hope that you embrace each one as they give a part of themselves to our world.

For this blog, SGMRadio welcomes guest blogger Tyler Braun, author of the Man of Depravity blog,  who has challenged us to deny ourselves and resist making headlines. We hope you take the time to consider his words and their application to your life. You can find this on his blogsite at http://manofdepravity.com/2012/11/its-easy-to-make-headlines/#more-8901

Please access his blog here: http://manofdepravity.com/ and read more from Tyler.

Don’t forget to leave him a note and thank him for his contribution to SGMRadio and our world.

Twitter: @TylerBraun

Facebook: Tyler Braun

ABOUT TYLER

I’m Tyler. I’m a 28 year-old writer, worship leader, and pastor from Oregon where I live with my wife Rose.

This is my personal blog where I focus on helping each of us move toward living the life God desires for us.

I believe that God has a truly significant life in mind for each of us, despite the difficult circumstances most of us find ourselves in. Your reality is not your destiny.

I write about Millennials, God, faith, church, and theology. My writing has been featured in various publications, such as Relevant Magazine and Christianity Today.

If you are looking to lead a significant life instead of going through the motions of a mundane existence, then this blog will be a great resource for you. I hope you’ll subscribe to the RSS feed or receive posts by email. Also join this community of blog readers by signing up for my free email newsletter where I’ll focus exclusively on the journey toward significant life.

I have been integrally connected to the local church ever since I was young child. Having grown up as the oldest child of a pastor I’ve seen countless dear friends settle for less than what God could have accomplished in and through them. Encountering this all through childhood and adolescence led me to help be apart of others finding new life in Christ.

I graduated from George Fox University in 2007 and shortly after my undergraduate program completion I began attending Multnomah Biblical Seminary in pursuit of a now completed Masters degree in Pastoral Studies.

I currently serve at New Harvest Church in Salem, Oregon as the Associate Pastor of Worship and Family Life.

In addition to my education and full-time work, I have spent time volunteering and working with The Mentoring Project in their effort to provide a mentor for every fatherless boy in Portland (and then the entire US).

In my free time I enjoy running, reading, golfing, and watching sports. I’d gladly challenge you to a game of golf in Portland if you’re ever out here.