Who Are You Playing For?

“And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is My dearly loved Son, who brings Me great joy.’” (Matthew 3:17 NLT)

In a recent devotional, Ron Hutchcraft told the story of a young man who was performing his first concert as a pianist. The auditorium was filled with an expectant audience, and at the end they all rose to their feet in exuberant applause. Backstage the young man’s manager was praising his magnificent performance, urging him to return to the stage for an encore, but he refused. Unable to understand his hesitation, his manager tried to explain, “But they’re all on their feet. You have to go back out and play another selection.” To which the young man responded, “They’re not all on their feet,” as he pulled back the curtain.

There in the balcony above the crowd was an old white-haired man still seated. “Who is he? Why does he matter so much to you?” To which the young man replied, “He’s, my teacher.”

For whom are you performing the “concert” of your life? Who is the one person or group of persons from whom you’re seeking approval or “applause?” Often, it’s from a parent (living or dead), a spouse or close friend. Sometimes it’s from a boss, co-workers, or clients. Or might it be your friends at church?

Whomever it is, if it’s not Jesus you’re wasting your time, talent, and energy. Why would I say that? Because ultimately, He’s the only one who’s opinion matters.

While researching a recent blog, it occurred to me that a decision I’d made many years ago was clearly wrong. I realize there’s nothing I can do to turn back time. There are no “do-overs” in life, yet it became crystal clear that if I was making that decision today, I would have chosen a different response.

You see, that one decision could have changed the trajectory of my whole life. Then it occurred to me, how many other decisions you and I make every day, often without thought, have the power to change the direction of our lives? It’s true that we can’t go back and make changes to the decisions we have made, but we certainly can take the time and make the effort to make good decisions today, in this moment.

John Stonestreet, of the Colson Center, often says: “Ideas matter. Ideas have consequences. Bad ideas have victims.” What are decisions but the culmination of ideas. How often are we the victim of our own bad ideas?

As a result of what went through my mind and heart from the realization of the very wrong decision I made years ago, I could have gone in a lot of directions, from ignoring it, to obsessing over it. What compounded my anguish was reviewing the consequences that I have suffered because of it, foremost among them being, I realized the reason I made the wrong decision in the first place was because I made it without consulting the only One whose opinion really matters. I didn’t pray. I didn’t ask the Lord what He thought I should do. I made the decision based on external evidence and emotion – AND I KNEW BETTER!

How about you? Are you living with the consequences of earlier decisions? I believe the reality is – we all are to one extent or another. Yet, rather than letting them cloud our judgment and ruin the rest of our lives, let’s rejoice that we have a Savior who redeems the wrong decisions we have made. As we lay them at His feet He gives us insight and wisdom to make good decisions now and moving forward. As a result, we can live and “play” for the only One whose opinion matters. We can hear His comforting voice, in much the same way as He spoke when His Son was baptized: “I forgive you. I am with you and for you. I am proud of you, and I will lead you in the ways I have ordained for you to go. I will bless you with fruitfulness for My names sake.”

Blessings, Ed 😊