Who's your audience?

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-His good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:2

No matter what action we take, we are taking it for a reason, an audience if you will.

When I’m at work I wear certain clothes and keep a steady demeanor.  I do this because the clientele I service have that expectation of a person in my position.  You could say I’m playing to my audience.  I’m very mindful of what I say and do when I’m with my children.  Always attempting to validate the lessons and principles I represent to them.  Even when we aren’t aware of it, we are playing to an audience of the general public and judgments are made about us based on how we deal with the different elements of our day.  

I believe I follow a behavior pattern in line with what the Bible tells me God wants from me.  Most of the time that is.  But I have a huge desire to please people around me and give them what they want.  I’m even guilty of making an allowance to what I know is right in order to deal with a specific issue occasionally.  Modifying principle to meet individual circumstance may seem reasonable and acceptable to do, but it’s really just practicing situational ethics.  Situational ethics is when we initiate a certain behavior or practice that is motivated by individual circumstance.  Give them what they want; it isn’t really a big deal and no bodies going to get hurt. 

But the Bible tells us the only audience worth playing to is Jesus Christ.  As Christians we have the Bible, God’s living breathing Word, to point out the behaviors He wants to see in us.  If we allow obedience to God’s Word to penetrate every facet of our lives, situational ethics becomes obsolete.  Most of what is considered good in “the world” is also in line with God’s will.  God tells us to look at the interest of others before ourselves.  If you’re in business you are to provide good service to your customers.  You would be hard pressed to find an audience those principles wouldn’t play to.

But sometimes we’re expected to just “go with the flow” and let things just happen like they are going to happen.   But when we choose to adjust our beliefs we are really just saying God wasn’t right as far as this situation is concerned.  And this friend is when we have to decide what’s important in life.  Jesus recognized we would all be in this position and left us with His thoughts.  You can find His response to this very question in Matthew 6:24.  

Which audience are you going to play to today?

Do you ever have doubts?

Do you ever find yourself doubting your faith and beliefs?  

Have you ever caught yourself thinking “is this real”?

The Lord has done so many things in my life and I’ve seen and experienced things that can only be attributed to a Divine Creator.  But the truth is I still catch myself questioning things and trying to assign rational explanations from time to time to things that can only be credited to God.  Fortunately that doesn’t happen very often (anymore) but it just wouldn’t be truthful to say I don’t have the occasional doubt.

I don’t know why but some Christians don’t want to admit that they have questions about Church Doctrine or basic Theology, much less admit they suffer bouts of doubt from time to time.  Somewhere along the way some develop the idea that questioning God, or admitting that we don’t understand something is a sin.   I’ve even heard it referred to as “spiritual treason”.  I believe you would have a difficult task in front of you if you went looking for anyone who claimed a deep faith in God who wouldn’t admit to the occasional doubt.

John the Baptist was a prophet and by that definition, God spoke to and through him.  Certainly someone who had that relationship with God would never suffer from doubt right?   Wrong.  While sitting in prison he sent a message to Jesus asking:

"Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?"

Matthew 11:3

John the Baptist communed with God and baptized Jesus.  If he had doubts, something tells me it’s OK if we do too.   

In his book  “The Myth of Certainty,” Daniel Taylor doesn't choose to use the term “doubting Christians” he refers to the doubters among us as “reflective Christians.”  Nobody received all the answers when they made the decision to give their life to Christ, it doesn’t work that way.  Our growth is directly proportional to our desire to learn and the commitment we make to do so.  I like being a “reflective Christian” and love that God always remains faithful to us no matter what.

I pray that the grace and peace only available through Christ touches your life today.  

In His precious name,

Jeff