Quietly, Quietly, Quietly Making Noise…since 1995

An Audience of One

Every once in a while it is a good idea to stop and smell the HueHue. Sure, some people stop and smell the roses, but if I’m the one stopping it will be for coffee, not flowers.

Earlier this summer we put up a small quote on our kitchen frame. It says…

one

We’ve been dwelling on this for the past month, so Kendra and I decided to post parallel blogs on the topic. You can link to hers and get her take as well.

It is so easy to think we are living (or performing, really) for a bigger audience. Consider when we conform our behavior for the sole purpose of seeking acceptance by our peers. You know…when we begin to sound or look like everyone else, so that we can be “one of them” or even worse, because we think that will it will make us better with God. It was almost hard to even type that last sentence (who do we think we are, that we can do something to make our relationship better with God?)

Last week in church we were discussing Jeremiah and turned to the topic of idols. We know that God warns us not to worship idols. As a child, I always thought that was an easy commandment (like “Don’t murder!”…I was a young kid, unless you could murder someone with legos, chances are I was safe with this command). We didn’t have statues or trinkets around the house. I am not a fan of Jesus candles or lawn statuary. So, like murder, I never thought idol worship was an issue for me when I was growing up. But idol worship is much bigger than images and icons, right? We create plenty of idols, don’t we?. Even in very good churches we are quick to return to our idols. Consider the Israelites camped at the base of Mt. Sinai, while the thunder and clouds surrounded the mountain, they were busy asking the “associate pastor” to help them find something new to worship while they changed out of their clothes.

But that’s not even what I’m talking about. I am thinking of the idols that are insidious and hard to pinpoint.

It’s easy for us to admit that money or success can become an idol, that’s what good Christians are supposed to say when they are called on in bible study. But what about those things that are closer to who we are? What about those ways we behave or the things we do for an audience of many? To get even closer to home here on theMangoTimes, what about the way we choose to raise our family or educate our children? Can our family become an idol? What about the way we dress? Can our outward appearance become an idol? What about the way we worship? Aside from a golden calf in the middle of the sanctuary, can our approach to worship become an idol, because we are doing it right? Rhetorical questions, sure…each one of those can become idols in our life.

We don’t stop our stewardship in these areas. Know what I mean? We are still to pursue being a Godly family. We are still to pursue worship that is theocentric and holy. We are still to consider our appearance. I know that for me, it is occasionally good to stop and reevaluate.

Am I doing these things out of obedience to God or because I want to please men? Am I a spirit-led individual living and breathing for an audience of one or am I a self-pleaser or a man-pleaser and doing what I think is right in the sight of myself and others? Don’t listen to me…please don’t listen to me. Listen to Paul, “For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever.” He also said, “For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

It is so easy to become a people-pleaser. Our intent to pursue righteousness can so quickly depart from depending upon God’s grace to following man-made ideas or philosophies. We begin simply, “to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” Then somewhere in that simplicity our focus changes ever so slightly. We can become ensnared by a desire to please our neighbor. Even more insidious are friends or family who require our behavior to mimic theirs for us to be accepted or deemed worthy. Without even skipping a beat, we suit-up because we desire affirmation. I can picture some Israelites at the golden calf ceremony that knew it wasn’t the right thing to do…but they joined the party anyway, because they wanted to be like everyone else and that was the new standard for holiness.

Doug Wilson spoke on this in his book, Future Men. I remember that I like what he had to say about one man binding the conscience of another man. It stuck with me ever since:

“With this understood, we can assert that because God is our Lord, He alone is Lord of the conscience. This means that, in matters of faith and worship, men cannot command us in His name when He has not spoken. Obedience to men is certainly permissible, but we are prohibited from obeying men as though they had the right to bind the conscience in the same way that God does.”
Doug Wilson, Future Men (Page 76)

Even better, consider what God says in the book of Ezekial when it comes to us making idols:

“Thus says the Lord GOD: “Everyone of the house of Israel who sets up his idols in his heart, and puts before him what causes him to stumble into iniquity, and then comes to the prophet, I the LORD will answer him who comes, according to the multitude of his idols, 5 that I may seize the house of Israel by their heart, because they are all estranged from Me by their idols.”

God wants our heart! We are to live for an audience of one!

Quietly Making Noise,
Fletch

Posted on August 17th, 2009 by Fletch
Filed under: What I believe

7 Responses to “An Audience of One”

  1. Jeff, on August 17th, 2009 at 10:42 am Said:

    You know, we have become well-practiced at speaking of “anchors” and “foundations” in regarding to our Christian faith. Sometimes we forget that our “one foundation,” Jesus Christ, is active in us as a breath, a wind, a Spirit. That is, He moves–and what He moves most is us. It’s a paradox, of course, this moving foundation (maybe Paul would have used the word “chassis” if he were writing today), but if we can keep this mobility of God in mind, we would be far less likely to let our traditions become idols.

  2. Ken Anderson, on August 17th, 2009 at 11:11 am Said:

    Certainly True! A subject that strikes at my heart would be “Church Fads / Seeking New Signs.”

    The Church has been plagued through the centuries Idol worship. We could name Traditions, New Doctrines, New Theology, Looking for New Signs Of The Holy Spirit, Hype Of New Cutting Edge Programs) , Propaganda, Conformist, Arrogance, Pride of Life – just to name a few.

    It’s my opinion the modern day Church of today, in search for something new (cutting edge) is in danger of drifting further away from truth. If we aren’t careful we as Christians get caught up in the hype and pursuit of seeking new signs from Heaven. All the while becoming servants to Church programs and finding ourselves distant from Christ. Deceiving ourselves with agendas that our itching ears want to hear. No longer genuine to the needs of people pains and sorrows. Some Churches have adopted Growth as most important and love is being ushered out the front door.

    The modern day Church is big business. Idol worship of the prestiege, attention and popularity rather than feeling the heart of someone broken and trapped in sin not knowing how to escape. Churches appealing to the social network and the state of the art music programs to be more appealing to the World. Would you find Idol Worship in the music too?

    Please don’t misunderstand – I love good music. We are speaking of what takes priority. Do we attend Church for the music or I like the pastor or I like short services may in fact reflect what is really going on within our heart. Priority of why we go to Church in the first place. It should be about our relationship daily with Christ.

    Throughout time there has been those that wanted to appear more spiritual by resisting wealth, type of clothing, jewelry, homes. While those that were poor judged those with much as be wicked, there was a sense of piety because they denied the flesh. In opposite the rich looked down upon the poor that they never used the talent they were given and certainly God must loved the rich more. Honestly – where does it end. The truth of the matter is that the heart of man desires to have more insight that the other. To be wiser, smarter, richer, pious. Why?
    Pride. Anything that we can feel better about ourselves as we compare others to us as the standard. The Pride of life is idol worship.

    What’s the answer then? Balance. Keeping our hearts looking toward Heaven and live a balanced life.

    Just because it sounds good and what is being said gives us goose bumps is not an indicator that God is in agreement or we have heard from God. We tend to get caught up in how we “feel” rather than knowing where our relationship is with God. Feeding the hunger of our feelings will lead us astray most times. Idol worship can be putting our feelings in front of what God’s Word proclaims.

    Feeding our emotions and feelings only leaves us empty and lonely – like a junkie looking for his next fix.
    Feeding the hunger for our soul through our relationship with Christ and in His Word, fills our longings and we shall never hunger or thirst again.

    It concerns me to see Christians seeking “Signs” instead of seeking “Christ.” Jesus dealt with this verys subject in his day with those seeking signs. I would say this is an act of idol worship. Christ is enough. Our God, the same Yesterday, Today and Forever. All of our answers to what we are looking for in this life begin with Christ.

    We will never be perfect – that has been tried by so many denominations including the annabaptist. Instead of constantly finding fault with ourselves, unless God has truly revealed fault, and finding faults in others – We must genuinely fall in love with Christ in a daily relationship with Him. Allowing His love to spill over unto others. By this the World will know that we are His disciples.

    Idol worship has very many different forms and I think we will spend the rest of our days dealing with them before God.

    Sorry to ramble – just thinking out loud.

  3. Fletch, on August 17th, 2009 at 11:21 am Said:

    Thanks for bringing up traditions Jeff. You know theMangoTimes better than most. :) I love traditions and systematics, and I’m the first to admit that I forget to leave room for God to move (especially when it comes to moving me!). Traditionalists can often be accused of being legalistic. I wonder often if the better term is rigid. Know what I mean? I don’t think these folks truly believe in a salvation based on works (true legalism), but I certainly see a “rigidness” in how they “allow” God to work.
    Thanks for the comments man…you reminded me why I began theMangoTimes.

  4. Fletch, on August 17th, 2009 at 11:53 am Said:

    Ken…welcome to theMangoTimes…glad to have old friends make first time visits! I think my response above touches a little on what you said. Balance. I find comfort in systematics, but I need to realize that God still moves where He will.

  5. Jennifer (Conversion Diary), on August 19th, 2009 at 8:27 am Said:

    Wow, what a great post! Very convicting. This is something I really struggle with. I was raised in an atheist family and converted to Christianity from lifelong atheism, and one of the things I always have difficulty with is that the world’s voice is just so much louder and easier to access than the “still, small voice” of God. If I’m feeling down, it’s soooo much easier to call a friend (or, uhh, write a blog post and get a bunch of comments from readers) to make myself feel better rather than taking the time for focused prayer to get the *Lord’s* opinion on how I’m doing.

    Anyway, just now discovered your blog but I look forward to reading more!

  6. Dan Hall, on August 26th, 2009 at 11:15 pm Said:

    The fear of man…. It’s so easy to scoff at the Israelites at Mt. Sinai or Peter at his denial of Christ and think, “if that were me, I would never cave like that”, but then in our own times find every excuse and justification as to why we give into peer pressure. Every time we adopt this groups dress code, or that groups curriculum, or the other groups activities we are potentially denying what Christ has for us. Like Peter’s response to Jesus after Jesus fills him in on the kind of death he is going to suffer, and Peter points out John and asks, “What about this man?” Jesus says basically, “What’s it to you what I do with him. You follow me and what I have for you.” Not that we can’t learn from others and what they are doing, but we need to check in with our Leader and make sure that’s what He has for us. Now if I could just practice what I just preached.

  7. theMangoTimes » Western Theology, Brennan Manning, on December 14th, 2009 at 12:50 pm Said:

    [...] “Pioneers find joy in the thought of another day to push on into the unknown Wilderness…by trusting the Trail Boss and following his Scout, while living on the meat provided by the Buffalo Hunter.” I said this in my last letter, but everything we do is on behalf of the Gospel and in light of God’s truth. You are reliant upon God’s Word and remember that you live to please an audience of one! [...]

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