What I mean is
that, in a similar way to what happens when some shy, insecure contestant blows
judges and audiences away with his or her singing ability, there is going to be
an amazing expression of worship when God’s nameless, unknown, misfit children are
revealed.
In many cases,
there is going to be incredible surprise when Jesus comes and shows everyone
who it is that belongs to him.[2]
The proud world will be more overwhelmed with shock when they see the ones Jesus
“is not ashamed to call his brothers”,[3]
than they have ever experienced at any talent show.
Hebrews 11 is
an amazing collection of references to people who are “so great a cloud of witnesses” for God’s
children who are still running the race.[4] The
world has never applauded them. It cannot. They had lived a faith that is the
very antithesis of all that the world treasures and holds dear. They were
mistreated in every way the world could imagine, even as Jesus himself was “despised and rejected” by the world he
came to redeem.[5]
At the end of
a long list of mistreatments, Hebrews 11 summarizes these people of faith with
this description:“of
whom the world was not worthy”.[6] The world was not unworthy of these people because these were
exceptional performers who should have won a talent competition, but because
these people exemplified the most humble and dependent faith in the exceptional
God who had adopted them as his sons.[7]
The
fact is that, when Christians live out their lives as Christians, not playing
to the worldly crowd, but living to honor Jesus Christ in the world, they will
never win the popular vote. However, while the world looks blindly on, in a
higher realm, where God alone is the judge, God’s true children are “commended through their faith”.[8]
One
day, the present commendation of our faith in Jesus Christ will be replaced by
the open “revealing” of the sons of
God. As Paul wrote, “…the creation itself
will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the
glory of the children of God.”[9]The world will never see that glory now, but God’s children will
feel it then, and it will be better than winning any worldly talent contest
could ever be.
The letters to
the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3 have affirmed to me that Christians
cannot bow to the compromise needed to win the world’s approval in a talent
show. The world is looking for idols; Jesus’ disciples cannot participate in
idolatry.
However, all
the people who do enter, who do blow the judges away, and who do receive that
moment of glory from a surprised and fickle audience, are inadvertently giving
a glimpse of what it will feel like in a much greater way when God speaks to
his children of faith and says, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a
little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.”[10]
Let us not
seek the world’s approval at all, not even in talent competitions. Let us seek Jesus
Christ in faith, follow him wherever he leads, and bear with the world’s
disapproval until he comes and sets things right. The joy of our master will
make up for all. As Paul also wrote, “For
this light momentary affliction is preparing for
us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.”[11]That
is the only prize we need.
From my heart,
Monte
© 2013 Monte Vigh ~ Box 517,
Merritt, BC, V1K 1B8 ~ in2freedom@gmail.com
Unless otherwise noted,
Scriptures are from the English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English
Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good
News Publishers.)
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