What is the measure of our faith? Is faith effective in the numbers we reach, the impact seen by others, or is it something else?
The challenge of establishing a credible presence as a Christian content creator often begins with a follower count.
Mine was 1,500 on Instagram—a number I deemed acceptable for a quick profile check after a reader encountered one of my books. Yet, I constantly wrestled with the realization that only a small percentage of that audience was genuinely engaged.
I desired more. And so, I succumbed to the platform’s demands: more carousels, more reels, more stories. The results spoke loud and clear. My encouraging content barely registered. Yet, a slightly more controversial post instantly generated the sought-after comments and new follows—though it came at the cost of negative comments too.
July 2023 was my tipping point. I was burnt out from trying to get my voice heard in a crowd, infuriated at how the platform gripped my attention to the detriment of my relationships, and frustrated at how fragmented my focus was becoming from ingesting endless short-form content.
While the desire to reach an audience with my books remained, I could no longer ignore the cost. It was in this moment of clarity that I sensed the Lord calling me to relinquish my pursuit of numbers and instead trust in Him to guide my words to those who needed them. That day, I deleted all of my social media accounts.
The Numbers We Reach and the Illusion of Impact
We live in a culture that idolizes fame, promotion, and prominence. If you aren’t constantly sharing every detail of your life, people not only think you’re odd—some even mistrust you! Case in point: Several people have asked me, “Are you real?” after I told them I wasn’t on Instagram!
The constant emphasis on scale is what makes “the numbers we reach” such a seductive metric for measuring the effectiveness of our faith:
Follower Count: This promises a wide reach, convincing us that greater numbers equal greater impact.
Engagement Rate: This promises validation, telling us that a high number of likes and comments means our work is “working” and that we are seen and valued.
Subscribers/Views: This promises evidence of ministry effectiveness, suggesting that quantity proves divine blessing.
But as I realized, this metric is a trap. Once I fell into the numbers game, every time I used social media I felt my sense of purpose, peace, and worth fluctuating. Chasing views and followers will always leave you exhausted because social media platforms want you to be a performer seeking human praise, not a disciple seeking God’s face.
Chasing views and followers will always leave you exhausted because social media platforms want you to be a performer seeking human praise, not a disciple seeking God’s face.
The Danger of Public Righteousness
The second faulty measure is the visible impact. This isn’t just about big numbers; it’s about the applause, the recognition, and the visible evidence of our good works. Yet, what we see in Jesus’s life and teachings is completely at odds with this mindset.
Jesus’ Example
Jesus’ whole life was about complete obedience to the Father, not popularity.
His hidden years: We often forget that Jesus lived the first 30 years of his life in a despised village, doing a manual-labour job. Talk about hiddenness!
The concealed miracles: Often after performing a miracle, Jesus asked those involved not to share it with others. Because Jesus lived in surrender to the Father and focused on the greater vision, He chose not to promote His works.
The ultimate act of love: Shockingly, in Jesus’s death, not only did He no longer have crowds following Him, but His closest disciples also abandoned Him. The greatest act of love in history was misunderstood, despised, and rejected.
A Lesson on Hidden Works
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus repeatedly emphasized works of hiddenness:
Giving: Give so secretly that “your left hand does not know what your right hand is doing.” The goal is to avoid seeking human praise, which Jesus says is the only reward hypocrites receive. Instead, the reward comes from “your Father who sees in secret” (Matthew 6:1-4).
Praying: Avoid praying publicly “to be seen by others.” Jesus tells believers to “go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret” (Matthew 6:5-6).
Fasting: Fast but don’t neglect your appearance in order to draw attention to the fact; make sure your fasting is known only to “your Father who is in secret” (Matthew 6:16-18).
The goal is to guard our hearts against the sole motive of showing others what we have done.
How Do We Measure the Impact of Our Faith?
The true measure of faith is moment-by-moment, joyful obedience to Jesus.
Here, our focus is not human praise but God’s will. One way we can put into practice this correct posture of the heart is by carrying out the spiritual discipline often referred to as hiddenness or secrecy.
When we embrace hiddenness, we make a deliberate internal shift by:
Focusing on God as the Audience: Hiddenness encourages us to direct our attention and our actions inward and upward—focusing on our relationship with God—rather than outward toward the world’s applause. Our primary motivation shifts from “What will they think?” to “Is this what my Father desires?”
Cultivating Intimacy: By reserving our good deeds, acts of devotion, and spiritual insights just for God, we cultivate a deeper, unique intimacy with Him. We begin to understand that His approval is our only necessary reward.
Developing Dependence: When we are hidden from human approval, we learn to lean upon God alone for affirmation, identity, and sustenance, rather than on the opinions of people.
Our walk with God is not validated by achieving something visible to others: a follow, a like, a promotion. What God looks at is our obedience in following Jesus.
Application: Where Is Our Heart?
What does all this mean? Should we never expose our good works or the grace of God in our lives? From other scriptures, we know Jesus instructs His followers to let their light shine for others to see (Matthew 5:16).
The key is in the order and the motive.
We must love God first and gear our whole lives toward growing in that love. We must live in surrender to His will, desiring to be conformed to the image of Christ, who submitted to the Father in everything. And we must learn to obey in secret and not live for the glory of man.
Once our primary focus is on God’s pleasure, the Spirit will show us when (and how) to share with others.
Ask yourself today: Where is my heart? Is it on growing my social media following or is it on loving God more and becoming more like Jesus?
Your walk with God is not a scoreboard, a checklist, or a performance act. Jesus calls us to take up our cross and follow Him. This will sometimes lead to works that are visible, but often it will mean carrying out works that are hidden.
Yet, when our deepest desire is to please the One who sees us in secret, we gain a reward that lasts forever.
