People Watching

Mark 2:18

      People are watching us, and I am not talking about the NSA or the CIA. People are watching us! No, not the IRS or aliens from another world! People are watching us. Our neighbors and coworkers, shop clerks and fellow drivers, spouses and children, bystanders and onlookers. People are watching us. What are they seeing? Are they seeing Jesus?

      People watching isn’t a new phenomena. It has been going on since the beginning. The Serpent was watching Adam and Eve in the Garden. Cain was watching Abel. Leaders often end up in the spotlight, and we all lead someone. Moses was watched by Pharaoh, Jethro, the magicians, Aaron, the people, and by the LORD. But followers are seen by those just looking on, observing the activity. Things have not changed.

      People were watching John the Baptist’s disciples, the Pharisees, and Jesus and His disciples. These people notice a difference between these groups of followers. Jesus’ aren’t fasting. And since fasting was part of the religious culture of serious followers of the LORD in that day, why weren’t Jesus’ followers following in this traditional part of religious life? That is the question being asked by these people to Jesus and His followers in our text.

      This is a legitimate question being asked. Are there certain things that Christians are supposed to do? I think there is a better question. Are we doing things that we think we are supposed to be doing, but really aren’t that important? Let’s look at style of worship used in our worship services. Do we have to sing the latest Hillsong United or Matt Redman songs, the ones we hear on the radio? Or will we somehow not be ‘relevant’ or ‘authentic’ if we sing something else? Do we need a gymnasium for the youth, or ‘play area’ for the younger kids? People are watching.

      These are not necessarily things we need to be concerned about. Believers around the globe share a vibrant faith without these things. And people are watching them just as much as they are watching us.

      Some of the things we are supposed to be doing, some key activities for Jesus-followers, are taking care of those who can’t care for themselves. Widows and orphans were a prime example given in Scripture. The Early Church saw the ministry to this group of people so important it almost derailed the disciples away from teaching and preaching. Is your church reaching out to these people? Do they have ways to help? Do you reach out to the widows and orphans you know? Single parents? The older neighbor whose spouse died a few years ago?

      People are watching us. They look at us and notice that we aren’t doing some of the expected things. But do they notice that we are doing the important things!

      You might say, “I don’t want people to watch me.” Too late, they are. And we are called to watch each other, hold each other accountable, call to a higher life. Are you going to pick up the phone?

Gloat!

Proverbs 17:5

      The LORD has a special place in His heart for those who can’t defend themselves. When we do things that put the defenseless down, the LORD gets offended.

      To put it another way, the attitude we demonstrate toward the defenseless is the attitude we are showing toward the LORD. We can’t say I love the LORD and hate my neighbor. The two are always connected.

      Our proverb makes the connection between our attitude toward the least and our attitude toward the LORD. So who are the least? Scripture talks about the poor, orphans, widows and foreigners. The foreigners are included because there were not Hotel 6’s back then. So when someone was traveling, they needed a place to stay. If they were moving to your community to get a fresh start, or because of some calamity, they were to reach out to them and include them.

      There should be no gleeful dancing when our enemies are defeated. This applies even to those with whom we have differences. We have to be careful to recognize this. It is easy to rejoice over other’s defeat, especially if you have hurt in your history.

      So many of us are only a paycheck away from running out of money. If we aren’t careful, we will become the poor. And if we are in the habit of looking down on the poor, we will end up looking down on ourselves. It is only by God’s grace that any of us has extra. Yes we work hard, but who gives us the strength to continue?

      Pride. Most of us hide it pretty well. But when we mock the poor or gloat over those who have experienced disaster, then we are demonstrating pride. And pride, this kind of pride, is not good. How can we accept God’s grace if we are proud? We can’t.