Don’t try to be famous
Read Time: 10
“But why did you need to search?” he asked. “Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?” But they didn’t understand what he meant. Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. And his mother stored all these things in her heart. Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.
Luke 2:49-52
The Titanic was marketed as unsinkable until it came face to face with an iceberg. As one of the largest naturally forming structures, the impact and influence of an iceberg can not be ignored. The name itself comes from the Dutch literally meaning “ice mountain”. The largest icebergs are over 200 miles long, the size of some small countries. It is believed that much of the Great Lakes along with the carved hills and valleys of the Midwest were created by ancient icebergs sliding and melting across the United States. The power of an iceberg is undeniable. The influence is unavoidable. However, much of an iceberg's true prowess will go unnoticed.
What you see is merely the tip of the surface. It is said that only 10% of an iceberg is visible above the surface of the water. The vast majority of this bombastic buoy is hidden and will remain hidden. While 10% is seen, the power is derived from the 90% that remains unseen. While 10% gets the glory and acclaim, the true credit goes to the strength of the unseen 90%. If you are to have an iceberg-like influence in the world around you, you must too recognize this principle. Impact isn't about being visible, it's about being viable. True power doesn't always come from what is seen. True power is often birthed from and stored in what remains hidden.
It can not be denied that Jesus changed the world. His impact stretches through country and culture. His influence is seen throughout all time. Jesus is often regarded as the most famous person in human history. However, like an iceberg, we only see about 10% of Jesus’ life. Jesus was crucified at 33 after starting His public ministry at 30. All we get is 3 years of fame, 10%.
We see Jesus born while hidden in a cave, followed by a few more hidden days. Jesus is dedicated in a private ceremony in the temple, followed by a few hidden months. Before turning two, Jesus is visited in his quaint private quarters by wise men. After that we have a few more hidden years, then we see Jesus again at 12 years old in the temple. As that story closes we are met with almost two decades of hidden history. The majority of Jesus’ life was hidden. Jesus was only in the public eye for 10% of His life yet He accomplished feats that will be talked about for millennia. Jesus was only on stage for 10% of His life yet His performances have changed countless lives. Could it be that like an iceberg, the 90% is where He got His strength for the 10%?
Jesus’ public 10% was not all glamorous and exciting stage time. Jesus prioritized hidden seasons. This testimonial tenth wasn't all arena-like audiences and resurrections with captivated crowds. Most of it was one-on-one conversations and private walks with His close friends. The 10% we are privileged to witness is not described with images of Jesus seeking stages, it's actually full of the opposite. Much of Jesus’ ministry was Him avoiding such crowds, running from fame and popularity. Much of what we do see shows Jesus consistently being led into the wilderness to go back into hiding with His Father. Hidden, private, and shielded seasons weren't an unavoidable blemish, they were a priority in Jesus' life.
I believe you are called to influence and if you want to be intentional at stewarding that influence, you too have to recognize the value of hidden seasons. I went to lunch with a pastoral friend who happens to also be the son of a pastor. We discussed the blessing it is to pursue pastoral ministry from a place of having seen it up close at home. As we mentor and coach young pastors and theology students, we’ve noticed that many pursuing pastoral ministry, to no fault of their own, don't know what to expect. We recounted how blessed we were to have seen more than the “10%” of stage-time pastors seem to get, while others have good intentions but have only seen thirty-minute soliloquies on sacred stages. It's easy to assume that ministry is about views, miracles, and accolades when that is all you have seen. But that thirty minutes of impact is only .298% of a week, let alone a lifetime.
My friend told a story that shaped his ministry philosophy. He remembers a man who always critiqued and criticized his pastoral father. In meetings, he was intentional about downplaying every push for the betterment of the church and community. In private, he tried to convince others to join him in his disdain for the pastoral family. However, when this man's own family abandoned him, my friend's dad was the one who took him under his wing. He spent time looking after his affairs and helping with paperwork for his insurance. He fought to find better health care and senior living conditions for him. The father fought to serve the man who was against him for so many years. My friend continued with a hidden moment that many aren't aware of. On one of these errand runs, the old man out of spite started to defecate in the father's car. As the father realized what was going on, he calmly went home and asked his boys to clean up the human feces in the back of their family car. My friend recounts his timid obedience, questioning why someone would do this. When he was finished cleaning, he went inside to see his father and grandfather bathing the decrepit old man who had been so nasty to them. He saw his father silently and secretly serving the man who had hurt him so much, similar to how Jesus privately ministered to Judas. That moment taught him what ministry looks like. Moments like these may not be seen, but they shape and inform what is.
I want you to know that true ministry isn't about the public moment, it's about the private conversations. The best sermons are birthed from a life of hidden service. The best performances are often birthed from the deepest most misunderstood pains. Many may see others on relatively big stages and in relatively nice suits, but they don't recognize that the suit is only clean because there is a mechanic jumpsuit in their trunk that they put on over it when they help people on the side of the road. Real impact doesn't come from public moments, it comes when your family knows that if they need you in the morning, they can find you hidden in your closest, deep in prayer. The real impact isn't about the spotlight, it comes when those contemplating suicide trust you enough to call you crying at 3 am. Real impact doesn't come when you are known, it comes when you seek God in the silent, still, and secret private places.
Ministry isn't about acclaim or affirmation. It's about private practices and secret place services with just you and God. This is what Jesus shows us. No one is going to know about your biggest ministry moments, but your intentionality in the hidden place is what will prepare you for the spotlight if God ever wills it. David spent years serving alone in the pasture and submitting in the palace before anyone outside of his family knew he was anointed. Moses spent 40 years in the wilderness tending to stubborn, stupid, and stinky sheep in private before being called to the wilderness to tend to stubborn, stupid, and stinky people in public. Joseph and Daniel both quietly chose God while serving their captures before boldly serving God in service to their new countries. It's all about the hidden years. Don't despise the hidden years. God is protecting, developing, and preparing you.
I've had ministry described to be as that of a comet. What feels like a thousand years of obscurity with a small chance of maybe flashing across the night sky in a moment. Even then, your flash may not be seen, and if it is, it may be only to impact one person. After that, you can expect to go back into obscurity for the rest of your existence. Yet, when you realize that your momentary flash was only to get someone else to consider looking up so that next time they might see the Son, your years of obscurity become worth it. It's not about being seen, it's about guiding others to gaze on what matters. And when God can trust you to not take His glory for yourself, He might actually start sending more people in your direction.
So if hidden moments are so impactful, what can we learn from Jesus’ life? What should we be working on throughout our hidden years? Our text teaches us a few things.
The Bible explains how Jesus and His family regularly went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. This time Jesus gets caught up in the festivities and stays behind. His parents assume He is with another family but when they return home they recognize that Jesus was missing.
It takes three days for them to find Him excitedly listening and learning with the priests in the temple. The old proverb says that time flies when you’re having fun. We hear nothing about where Jesus slept or what He ate during this time. But this 12-year-old boy is having the time of His life, hanging out in the presence of His Father. As you can imagine, His parents are frightened furious. And when Mary questions Jesus, Jesus responds with, “Why are you surprised? You should have known what I was likely to be doing.”
While the text tells us that Mary and Joseph didn't understand what He meant, this response gives us a glimpse into Jesus’ hidden years. Even if others don't understand your priorities and calling, have you been consistent enough for your dedication in the hidden seasons to make sense? Even though Jesus’ parents didn't understand in that moment, Jesus asserts that based on what they do know about Him, they shouldn't be surprised.
I think a barometer on whether we are prioritizing our time in the presence of God is if those close to us expect it from us. Everyone won't understand the depth, however, we must be honest enough to ask ourselves if we have been serious enough about our call for others to take notice. Does your family expect you to pray over decisions? Do your friends expect you to submit to God and walk in faith? Is it normal for you to tarry in the presence of God? While Jesus’ family didn’t understand the depth of His prioritization of the Father, Jesus expected them to at least see it as a plausible explanation based on what they had seen from Him in the past. Jesus was so serious about His call that He expected others to see it too. If you are serious about your call, those closest to you should be able to see it.
Secondly, the Bible says that Jesus headed back to Nazareth and employed obedience. For many of you, your hidden season will be synonymous with submission. For some this is difficult but the wise among us will testify that a Godly covering is the best thing one can be blessed to have. Just this week, a pastor was encouraging me in how lucky I am to have spent time learning to pastor under a more experienced senior pastor. Some people are just thrown into the fire but I'm allowed to be protected, guided, encouraged, and built up in weak areas without the overwhelming pressure that would set in by myself. Seek out mentors. Submission is a dirty word to some but with a good leader, submission opens the door to your greatest freedom. Joshua’s hidden season was about submission to God through Moses. Yes, you may be called to great things, but in this season you're called to submit. If you cannot prayerfully submit to the leaders God places in your life now, you won't submit to God later. For some of us, our ego and lack of humility are holding us back from the growth God wants us to experience in this hidden season. The strength of the hidden season comes from an ability to submit.
Thirdly, the Bible says that Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and people. This is kinda the crux of this entire concept. Jesus took this time to grow in His favor with God and man. Jesus took this time to build His foundation. Jesus took this time to get ahead. My friend tells a story about how he would beat up on his uncle at Mario Kart as a kid. His uncle just could not figure out how to succeed in the video game. But while he went away to school, his uncle took the time to practice all day and prepare for the game when they came back that evening. His uncle was intentional in private practices to prepare for the public performances and it led to the tables turning when my friend came home from school that day.
I want to be blunt with you and say that if you are not growing in your hidden season, you are wasting time. This is a time of preparation, not impatience. I know you may be restless but this is the time to fail forward. The time to learn the game is when no one is watching. I have a friend who is pastoring two small churches and we talked about how blessed he is that no one watches the services. He has an opportunity to practice and really develop in the dark room. My dad gave me great advice when I first started pastoring. He told me that this season as an associate at a medium-sized church with no wife and kids is the most time and money I will ever have. This is when I can read the most books in a week. This is when I can ask the most questions. This is when I have the most time for education and building good foundations in relationships. This is when I'll have the most time for preparative prayer and not crisis management prayer. This season lends itself to development. Don't waste the season because the spotlight will come. But with the spotlight comes less time for growth and less forgiveness for failures. Please use the 90% people don't see to inform the 10% they might see.
College is a time to practice for the career. Middle management is a time to practice C-suite. Dating is a time to practice for marriage. Don't despise the hidden years. They are a blessing. They are for your benefit.
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