Audience of One

“He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in season
And its leaf does not wither;
And in whatever he does, he prospers.”
                                                -Psalm 1:3

            So says the psalmist David, whose life and legacy is testimony of supreme blessing from the Lord.  The Lord promised him He would never cut off his heir from the throne, and indeed the King of the entire universe eventually comes from David’s line of decedents.  Jesus will reign forever – promise fulfilled.  David took God’s promises seriously, but the mainstream Christian population does not demonstrate the same steadfast belief in God’s word.  May God stir us to be a generation of Christians whose roots run as deep as the tree David describes.

Approval fuels behavior. Proper “fuel,” however, is the most essential root-growing aspects of our spiritual life.  Each and every person has the innate desire to find validation from a source outside of themselves.  What a person is - characteristics embraced, the attitudes exhibited, even down to the type of clothing and style of hair - stems from feelings of approval or disapproval sensed from that person’s selected audience.  No man or woman is free from orienting their life around seeking the approval of a certain audience, even if they are not aware of whom they seek to please.  The question is not whether we have an audience, but which audience we have.  An important step to truly understanding oneself is to know the audience for which they live.  A Christian has the purpose of living before the all-seeing, all-knowing, ever-present audience of a holy God.  God, in all His majesty and splendor, is not One to blend in with the rest of life’s audience: A life lived listening to the decisive call of God is a life lived before an audience that trumps all others – the Audience of One.  All other audiences pale in comparison to the supremacy of God.  The Latin word “coram deo” means “before the heart of God.” Consistently living before His heart is the secret to fulfilling the verse that says, “Set your mind on things above, not on things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:2).  When living a “coram deo” life, gaining applause and accolades from earthly audiences loses its appeal - for a compliment from Heaven brings much more satisfaction than the most resounding earthly commendation.  

Amy Carmichael puts this concept in a very tangible way.  She says:

“If the praise of others elates me and their blame depresses me; if I cannot rest under misunderstanding without defending myself; if I love to be loved more than to love, to be served more than to serve, then I know nothing of Calvary love.”

Once we experientially know the deep and satisfying refreshment of God’s love that flows out of Calvary, we no longer choose spiritual indigestion over spiritual sustenance.  It is a very tough question to ask, “Am I so focused on pleasing the Lord that other’s opinions have NO effect on me?”  Even though we may believe that God’s approval is better than the approval of man, that doesn’t mean we’ve “tasted and seen that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8).”  There is a big difference between believing and knowing that the Crowley Cafeteria has the best tasting ice cream on the planet and actually licking your lips after you’ve had a scoop for yourself.  God promises that when we seek His approval over man’s approval we will be deeply fruitful and prosperous.  

The fear of man brings worry, discontentment, un-fulfillment, wasted time, and doubted decisions.

 If you gage your decisions based on what others will say or believe about you, you will be distracted from God’s purpose for your life.  When you look to God as your source of confidence, He provides the instruction, the ability to carry it out, and the deep satisfaction of having your heart right before Him.  No amount of human applause can compare. 

“Your ears will hear a word behind you, “This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right or to the left.” – Isaiah 30:21

Prayerfully ask yourself these questions:

·         Do I change my behavior around certain groups of people?

·         Do I act differently around girls and guys?

·         When I make a small decision, such as what to wear, what to say, or what activities to participate in, do I immediately think about what it will do to my relationship with others or how it will benefit my relationship with God?

            Receiving guidance from the Lord always proves to be the most exciting points of my life.  Others may look questioningly at your choice to find satisfaction in the Lord alone, but with time they will see the fruit of a healthy tree firmly planted in the Lord our Sustainer.