One of the ways to measure the success of a show is if the venue is jam packed. “Standing room only,” “packed to the bleachers,” and “overflowing” are just some of the happy descriptive words event producers are looking forward to hearing come D-day. And indeed when a performance is applauded by droves upon droves of audience members, then it definitely is a success.
As followers of Jesus, living in a sort of “upside down kingdom,” our worldly performance can still be a success even if we do not get a roar of applause from a huge crowd. All we need to do is to know in our heart of hearts that the one Being we are supposed to please, is truly happy and glorified with our lives.
“And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;” Colossians 1:9-10
In this day and age where we are bombarded with high-dopamine activities like social media interactions, we tend to seek approval with everything that we do. We get a kick when we receive the likes and hearts, and we feel bad when it seems that we are ignored. To some, it is a must that projects, achievements, and even ministry-work get the applause it supposedly deserves and if not, it is deemed worthless, and even a flop.
But as followers of Jesus, we are called to continue doing God’s work in our own respective capacities, regardless if we get the attention the good work is supposed to get. We are not to feel bad when it seems like our efforts are ignored or even bashed. As long as our conscience is clean, and our hearts are aligned with God, then we can be assured that our “audience of one” will be pleased.
“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9
And when we receive hateful comments, judgments, or hear hurtful things about us and how we choose to serve God, then we should just shrug it off. Instead, we should remind ourselves, that like a high-powered CCTV camera, the eyes of our God sees everything that we do, everything that we think, and everything that we feel. And so, as long as our aim is to please Him, follow His command, and carry out His will in our lives, then we can hold our head up high and continue doing what we are doing.
“From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind; from His dwelling place He watches all who live on earth— He who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.” Psalm 33:13-15
And so, let us continue doing what we do, for our great Audience of One.
Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to
ponder on Psalm 33:13-19 and Philippians 2:12-16 to dig deeper on today’s topic.
Reflection Question: Do you feel disheartened when you do not get the applause you think you deserve for your achievements, actions, and ministry work?
Conversation with the Lord: Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for assuring us that we do not have to work hard to get human approval. ANd that what we should be concerned about is what you think of us and our actions. That at the end of the day, we should only aim to glorify you and you alone with our lives. Amen.Â
