Okay, by posting this I in no way mean to be condescending or judgmental. I simply need to get this off my chest. Yes, we have officially crossed over from 2008 into 2009. And along with that comes many things. For many Christians, we enter into a time of prayer and fasting. I believe wholeheartedly in the importance of fasting. Many bodies of believers, my own included, have entered into a time of corporate prayer and fasting. Whether or not Kevin and I are participating, and if so, to what extent, are hardly the point of this blog.
My point is actually found in the Bible. For those of you who are seriously fasting and spending time in the Word, this passage should be quite familiar to you (please note the sarcasm here). It is found in Matthew 6.
5"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues
and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in
full. 6But 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.
16"When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show
men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 17But when you
fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18so that it will not be obvious to men that you are
fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret,
will reward you.
It's all there in black and white, or red black and white, depending on your translation. Prayer and fasting are private matters between yourself and God. If you are particpating in any kind of extended fasting, it is inevitable that people will become aware of it. Of course, the co-workers whom I lunch with on a regular basis, will realize that my eating habits have changed. And that's fine. And you may need some spiritual guidance or support during your time of fasting. Totally understandable. Seek all the support you need...in private, from a trusted Pastor, friend or mentor. But trust me, your support does not need to come from the MySpace/Facebook community.
Do you wish to share the benefits and blessings that God has opened up in your life through your fast? Do you wish to share a trial that God helped you overcome after ending your fast? Okay. No problem. Post a blog. But it is completely inappropriate to hourly update your Facebook status with "I'm hungry," "I'm fasting" or any other pithy comments that might draw attention, empathy, etc. As The Man himself put it, those who act in this manner "have received their reward in full."
