On visibility

[Jack3]

The desire to be seen and appreciated seems to be a normal psychological need. At the same time, the Bible tells us to decrease, be unconscious of our own virtue, not to desire praise etc. How do we balance this?

[Obi-Wan Kenobi]

God sees you. That should ultimately be enough. But there is nothing wrong with wanting normal human contact and friendships.

[Doom]

The desire to be seen and appreciated seems to be a normal psychological need. At the same time, the Bible tells us to decrease, be unconscious of our own virtue, not to desire praise etc. How do we balance this?

This is the problem with Biblicism, the Bible is a whole, and this kind of selective application of Biblical principles ultimately distorts the message. The Bible actually has a balanced approach to this question, you can't just take a handful of verses that say one thing and call it a day.

[Jack3]

My question was prompted by things like:

"We are to hide it from ourselves. Our task is simply to keep on following, looking only to our Leader who goes on before, taking no notice of ourselves or of what we are doing. We must be unaware of our own righteousness, and see it only in so far as we look unto Jesus;

"Manifestation is the appointed reward for hiddenness, and the only question is where we shall receive it and who will give it us. If we want publicity in the eyes of men we have our reward.

"The fruit of the Spirit is a gift of God, and only he can produce it. They who bear it know as little about it as the tree knows of its fruit.
There is no room for boasting here, but only for an ever more intimate union with him. The saints are
unconscious of the fruit they bear. The left hand knows not what the right hand does.

"If we want to know our own goodness or love, it has already ceased to be love."

Bonhoeffer
The Cost Of Discipleship