John the Baptist had declared that Jesus was, “Behold the Lamb of God.”
Jesus preferred anonymity.
Jesus had offended the Pharisees by doing good on the “Sabbath.”
Now they planned to kill him.
Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. Matthew 12:15
However, word got out and the people came to him in droves with the needy and the ill.
“… and he healed all who were ill. He warned them not to tell others about him. Matthew 12:16
He warned them not to talk about him. He did not need promoting or the attention.
When the work of the kingdom finds the approval of man it may be a trap.
How different that is from what we often see today.
As often as not, the driving purpose of ministry today is to become “known," to attract attention.
Even the drive to “Do ministry” can be a trap that draws us into performance for the sake of acceptance of others.
The call to ministry can be a dangerous assignment, often reserved for those who value the lives of others more than their own lives.
Do you believe God is with you even if no one recognizes or applauds you or what you do?
However, if the need is for the approval, recognition and the validation of man, then you are operating in a worldly mindset and may be missing the greater purpose of God for your life.
When the “Business” of ministry takes you away from those things that draw you deeper into His presence, then you may become great in the sight of man, but miss the best of God.
This is how Jesus' brothers saw things, when they told him,.
“For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.
John 7:4
At times you may even find yourselves tempted to look for the favor of man and risk missing the face of God.
God will always provide what you need for your daily activities, whether it is raising the dead, visiting with a friend or quiet time with Him, the Father.
When you operate in His agenda, you are always in the right place and timing.