Somebody's Watching...

Posted: August 13, 2009

One of the joys of being a kid is having a sleepover or camp out with your buddies & I was blessed to have both from time to time. I remember one time I was sleeping over at a buddies house and we watched this Disney flick called “Watcher in the Woods”. It was one of those movies that you helped convince your friends Mom was “o.k.” and that you knew your parents wouldn’t have a problem with - but you were slapping “high fives” behind their Mom’s back because you knew you had successfully pulled the wool over her eyes and had the opportunity of a lifetime to watch something that you knew you could never get away with at “your house”. YES! I know it was wrong... please save the sermons :0).

This movie was really creepy - especially to a couple of 10-12 year old kids that weren't exposed to much of that. Every where the kids went in the movie they felt like something was right there - watching their every move... we were all spooked out by it because  - SOMEONE REALLY WAS WATCHING THEM!!! WHOAAAAAAA!!!

I still get the creeps (a little at least) when I remember how I felt back then, but I get even more when I realize that it’s a reality in the life of every human soul. Somebody is always watching you! They may not be “watching you in the woods”, but they are watching none the less. 

While preaching through Galatians 5 the reality hit me once again... people are always watching and the way we “walk” a.k.a. “our way of life” or “manner of living” - always. Like it or nor, that’s the truth.

People see how we live our lives. The way we talk, walk, our attitude, our outward actions, the decisions we make, the motives behind those decisions, the feelings we have, the way we feel or think or act towards others, the way we lead our families, the things we buy, the things we don’t buy, what we do with our money as a whole, the money we give away, the things we invest in, how we spend our time, the people we spend our time with... In short “Everything We Think, Do, Say & Feel” is the way we walk & people see it and are influenced by it. 

We are speaking volumes by the way we live our life - so what are we telling the world? What are you telling the world; an even better question - your family?

You see, our family sees what goes on behind closed doors, when all our defenses are down, when we feel free to be short or angry, or when there’s no one to impress with how “spiritual” we think we are - our family sees us. When there’s no one to catch us doing something “out of the box”, or when there’s an easy way to cover or justify our sin & we think no one will be the wiser - our family sees us. When, instead of using our home as a refuge and safe haven, a place to model “as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord”, we use it as a place to practice private sin - our family sees.

More importantly, God sees. 

1 Corinthians 4:5 “Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men's hearts; and then each man's praise will come to him from God.”

Hebrews 4:12-13 “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”

You see, whereas it’s important to live a Spirit filled, Fruit of the Spirit bearing life... aka, to “walk in the Spirit” because of the example it sets for others to follow, it’s even more important that we are concerned about the way we live because God, who sees everything - even the heart - is the one who is going to judge us. He will reward the believer for their walk, He will issue the crowns to you for His honor and glory, and He will place the final and eternal judgement of the Lake of Fire on those who are not His own. 

It is God who we should be concerned most about pleasing - not man. We should fear His judgement, not the judgement of our friends, family, and coworkers. Jesus said it best in:

Matthew 10:28 “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

So, as we seek to honor and glorify God in all we think, do, say, and feel, let us remember that it is not only “others” that are watching - from the woods or behind the doors of our own home - that we have a responsibility to set the example for, as we see in:

Matthew 5:13-16 13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

However, let us remember...

Psalm 139

But that it is God that sees all, hears all, and will judge all. 

1 O LORD, you have searched me

and you know me.

2 You know when I sit and when I rise;

you perceive my thoughts from afar.

3 You discern my going out and my lying down;

you are familiar with all my ways.

4 Before a word is on my tongue

you know it completely, O LORD.

5 You hem me in—behind and before;

you have laid your hand upon me.

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,

too lofty for me to attain.

7 Where can I go from your Spirit?

Where can I flee from your presence?

It is our Heavenly Father that is watching and it’s Him that we serve. 

Let us do so faithfully. 

PT