Still Waters: Someone is always watching

In my prayers I frequently will include some of the folks I look up to, like musician Robin Mark and nationally known preachers Max Lucado and Louie Giglio, who have blessed my life. They come from different denominations than my own, but they speak of a shared faith that crosses denominational boundaries and touches my soul.

All three men have different styles and gifts. Robin Mark is a musician who, although not the greatest vocalist on the planet, has a gift for sharing God’s love through his music. I find myself humming and singing his songs. They bring me hope and encouragement.

Max Lucado is a great writer whose words inspire me and touch my heart. When I read his words, sometimes I just have to say “wow.” Sometimes I just have to sit there and cry.

Louie Giglio is blessed with the gift of speaking. He is enthusiastic and passionate. He shows us how small we are in the universe and yet how significant we are to the God who literally knits us together with a cross. (Check out a diagram for laminin sometime.)

I pray for these men and others I look up to. I pray that they will be faithful to their wives and to their God.

I need them to be faithful.

I know humans should not look to other humans for their strength, but we do draw strength from each other and can support each other in times of crisis and darkness. We have a God who is near, but it is the human touch we can feel.

So I pray for those who strengthen my faith. I pray that God will keep their faith solid and strong.

A few years ago I looked up on line a man who had inspired me in the past but I hadn’t seen much of him recently. I read that he was retired from the public circuit, so to speak, and he had changed his lifestyle in a way that disappointed me. I might have even discarded some of the gent’s inspirational materials because I was so upset. When I came to my senses, I realized that the man’s past work that had blessed my soul and so many others’ lives was still valuable. God had used this man as long as he had been willing to be used.

It just reminded me that we can all lose our way, and our sights need to be set above humans, who can fail us. I know I have let God down many, many times and probably have disappointed other folks as well, so I have no room to talk in the perfection department. It is not my efforts but God’s that make the difference.

I am grateful I am not on a national stage, because I fear I would often let my audience down. All of us, whether we espouse a spiritual faith or not, are being watched, however.

I don’t mean “big brother’ but more likely little brother, someone coming behind us who needs us to lead the way for them.

Someone is always watching.

In the movie “Ocean’s Eleven,” a casino owner reminds his girlfriend as she moves to kiss him that in his hotel someone is always watching, because he had cameras nearly everywhere and staff watching them. Later after the team of Daniel Ocean’s 11 pulls off a grand heist from the casino and Mr. Ocean asks the casino owner if he would give up his girlfriend if he could have his money back, the casino owner chooses money over the lady, a decision that is played via one of the hotel cameras into the room where the girlfriend is watching, devastated to learn that she isn’t as important to the casino owner as his money. “There’s always someone watching” she reminds her now-ex boyfriend as she leaves him and takes up again with Mr. Ocean, who incidentally winds up getting the cash AND the girl.

“There’s always someone watching.”

Someone may need your strength today, and they are watching you to see how you will hold up under pressure or how you will react and respond to problems, obstacles, crises or even just everyday glitches. Tomorrow you may be the one looking to someone else for strength.

We aren’t “pillars” on our own. We hold each other up, and God provides the undergirding for us all.