Audience of One

I think one of the reasons people allowed me to talk to them about God early in my Christian walk is I was real to them, you know what you see is what you get. I was the same whether I was at home or at church good or bad. However, there have been times in my walk when putting my faith where my mouth was was not always an easy thing to do. You know the old saying “don't just talk the talk but walk the walk.”
One of my pet peeves even before I really started walking with the Lord was people using the Lord's name in vain. Even when I used to cuss like a sailor I drew the line at that one. It didn't make me any less a sinner I was just a sinner with limits :) I can remember being trashed in a bar and telling the guy next to me not to use the Lord's name in vain. Honestly I always made a comment when someone did this.
So here I was a young single mom, new to Florida, just bought a home and looking for work. I got a job at Siemens Stromberg Carlson and was doing pretty well professionally and personally made many friends. I was asked to take part in a company endeavor. The other members of the group all had titles or were “somebodies” in my mind. I was the nobody on the list but was thrilled to be included. Other members of “the group” took notice of me and assumed I was now somehow important.
We met in a conference room for our first meeting and sat around a large round table. At the head was a vice president of one of the departments, a big wig in the company. I looked around the table and again had no idea how I got picked to be part of this elite group, and then it happened. The big wig started to speak and two words into his speal he used the Lord's name in vain and quite a few more times as he went along.
I was blown away, what was wrong with this guy? It wasn't even professional nerveless acceptable. I was shocked. So guess what I did? NOTHING! I had let my new status over rule my conviction. I sat there in total silence, unspoken acceptance.
Needless to say that night I beat myself up pretty good. I explained to the Lord that if I said something and offended this guy I could get fired. I reminded the Lord I was a single mom and not only needed the job but the the insurance it provided for me and my children. Bottom line I felt like crap and finally confessed I was a ninny head that got caught up in man's approval.
John 12:43 for they loved praise from men more than praise from God.
Now that the cat was out of the bag as to why I was included I asked the Lord what He wanted me to do. He told me I needed to share with this man what God's word says about using His name in vain. I decided to write him an email, yes they had email way back then, and began to type. I wrote an encouraging note but was to the point. I thought about signing someone else' s name like John the Baptist but it was a company email and my name was automatically on it. Now all I had to do was hit send.
I gotta tell ya, you would have thought I was hitting a button to send a nuclear missile I was so nervous. Remember this was over 20 years ago and my faith meter was not where it is today. The enemy ran every scenario through my head but the one he yelled the loudest was “you are so getting fired!” With my heart racing I hit the send button.
The following week was our scheduled meeting. I was going to have to face my giant. I thought about bringing a box to work with me to put my stuff in and get the phone numbers of those I wanted to keep in touch with. I was sure I was out of there. I walked the long hall to the conference room and hoped the big wig was out of town. My heart was beating out of my chest as I entered the room and saw him sitting at the head of the table. I took a deep breath and sat down. And guess what happened?
He looked right at me and didn't say a word about the email. He just started the meeting as he had before with authority and confidence the only difference was for the next few weeks of meetings he never used the Lord's name in vain again.
This was one of those times the Lord reminded me He is an audience of One. We are not here to please man or get our acceptance from people. There are times in our life when the Lord needs and expects us to be His mouth piece. All through the Bible the Lord used man to speak for Him and just ask Jeremiah it wasn't all tidings of joy.
Even if I got fired the Lord would have taken care of me. I don't think my faith was ready to be fired at that time and God knew that. I truly believe God gives you the faith you need to do the job He asks. That's one of the reasons you can't compare your walk with anyone else because it has nothing to do with our ability it's all about God's power.
I pray the next time you find yourself in an uncomfortable position or unpopular side of things you will remember your before an audience of One and His is the only praise you need.