Last month I was watching President Obama give a speech.
Every time he cleared his throat, the room would burst with applause and a standing ovation. By the time the speech was over, 50% of it was standing ovations.
I am not criticizing President Obama or his speech.
However, I have heard 10,000 sermons and have never observed a standing ovation for a pastor preaching God's message from the pulpit.
I will go so far as to say that many of those 10,000 sermons I have heard,
contained more content, decisiveness and clarity than the President's speech.
But my point is, no matter how powerful and life changing the sermon,
no one has felt motivated to stand and applaud.
So in a questionable decision on my part, I pointed this observation out during a speech I made at a local Christian school.
Young people. They take things so literal.
A few days later I was back at the same Christian school speaking in chapel. Of course it goes without saying, that I received more than my fair share of standing ovations from my sarcastic young friends.
And kids being kids, the standing ovations continued for weeks to come. No, I won't publicly admit that it amused me. Because that would be shallow and to use an old English word, "prideful".
A very healthy perspective is to view situations from God's vantage point.
And that is always accomplished through God's Word.
"Watch out! Don't do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. When you give to someone in need, don't do as the hypocrites do -- blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you give to someone in need, don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. " Matthew 6:1-4
OK, now I am sufficiently chastised and humbled.
There is an old story about the Jewish temple having a large brass cauldron for people to pay their tithes. Before people entered the temple, they would convert their currency into large coins. Then upon entering the temple, they would with great force, fling their large coins into the brass cauldron. They would be rewarded with a loud clanging as their large coins bounced around in the pot. Everyone in the temple would, with great reverence, knowingly nod their heads as they acknowledge the large donation.
Tell me you can't see God Almighty, the King of Kings and Lord or Lords, rolling his eyes in dismay at both the giver an the validator. The giver because he believes God is impressed with the size of his donation. And the validator because he is reinforcing the idea that favor with God can be bought with large noisey coins.
Remember, the quality of your relationship with God is not measured by how much approval you find inside the doors of the church building. The true measure of the quality of your relationship with God Almighty is only determined by how brightly your love shines when you are alone in prayer.
Go with God my friends,
Pastor Shane
