Should our service for the Lord always be out in the open for all to see? Or should it sometimes be kept secret to assure its success? This may seem like an irrelevant question to believers who enjoy religious freedom. But it's the kind of dilemma more and more people are facing as opposition to Christianity grows.

In 1 Kings 18, we read that Obadiah faced this very question. As a godly man serving in King Ahab's palace, he hated what Ahab's wife Jezebel had done. While she was killing many of the Lord's prophets, Obadiah hid 100 of them in caves and secretly fed them.

During this time Obadiah had an unexpected meeting with Elijah, who asked him to inform Ahab that he had arrived. Ahab viewed Elijah as a "troubler of Israel" (v.17) and was hunting him down. So for Obadiah to tell Ahab that he had talked with Elijah would identify him with God's prophet and jeopardize his own life. But he obeyed Elijah and acted openly. He was not killed, and God blessed both his open and his secret service. As a result, many of God's prophets were saved.

O God, give us wisdom to know how best to serve You—whether openly or in secret. May our service always be motivated by our great love and respect for You. —JDB  — RBC Ministries