Life Spark: Live for an audience of One. (John 12:37-43)
My sophomore year of high school, I went AWOL. I turned away from my family and their faith. It seemed apparent to me that I would not be popular with the people I admired (gifted athletes and pretty girls) unless I got rid of the Christian ball and chain that I was dragging around.
Over a three year period I walked away from God, heart-first. My head followed my heart and soon I came to believe sincerely that Christianity was man-made. Late in my senior year, confused and depressed, I tried to believe in God again. I tried reading the Bible. The words that seemed to shine with revelation when I was a young boy now appeared to be nothing but ink on paper.
What made me blind? What keeps people from seeing and moving toward God-light? What blinded so many of the people who heard and saw Jesus? What kept them from seeing His “cascading brightness?” (John 12:41, MSG)
Revelation requires information. That is a head issue. Revelation also requires courage. It requires a willingness to please God even when it displeases those around you. That is a heart issue. Trusting Christ and following Him courageously takes grey matter and backbone. The concrete of faith needs the rebar of courage. Fear of man caused many in the Lord’s audience to wimp out with a head-only faith.
Because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved praise from men more than praise from God. (John 12:42-43, NIV)
Who is in your grandstand? Who are you trying most to please? Your fellow workers? Your kids? Your spouse? Your parents? The ‘gifted athletes and pretty girls’?
Even when I couldn’t see any proof of God’s existence as a seeker in high school, the light of revelation was all around me. Light is light, even if you don’t see it. The moment I took off the blindfold of people-pleasing, I began to see His reality. Because my heart was right, I saw the light.
Life-action: Finish this sentence: “Because I love God’s approval more than the approval of other people, I …”