Scripture
The praise that matters…does not come from other people. It comes from God.
~Romans 2:29, NIrV, 2014 Edition
Quote
By God’s grace, I am learning to ignore the crowd and play to an audience of One.
~Kirk Cameron
In his book WHAT GOD THINKS WHEN WE FAIL, Steven C. Roy tells a fictional story about a young violinist who lived in London many years ago. He was a superb musician, but afraid of large crowds, so he avoided giving concerts. After enduring criticism for his unwillingness to give concerts, he finally agreed to perform in the largest concert hall in London.
The young talented violinist gave a magnificent performance that so please the audience they stood and clapped for 10 minutes. The young violinist never arose from his stool but looked distracted. His teacher was in the audience and he was not able to make eye contact. It was as if he was unaware of the thunderous ovation. Throughout the enthusiastic applause, he scanned the audience searching for his teacher. Finally, at the very end of the clapping, he located his teacher and when he saw him standing and applauding, he breathed a sigh of relief and then acknowledge the praise of the crowd.
The young musician was playing to an audience of one. His goal was to please his teacher, his master. If he failed to please him, the applause of the crowd would have meant nothing. You and I are to play to an audience of ONE. It does not matter how many accolades we get from the world, if we fail to please our Master, the LORD Jesus, then we fail. After Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead, many Jews believed on HIM, even some of the priest but the Pharisees who believed would not confess HIM in public for fear of being put out of the synagogue. John said, “They loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.” What a sad commentary!
- Well I retired from one very full time job and have taken two part times jobs. I came home yesterday very tired. I did concrete work with Daddy until he was 80 years old so I know what manual labor is like but I have not done anything like that for years. I didn’t do concrete yesterday but I had to work and I was give out when I got home. I already appreciated all manual laborers but yesterday reminded me of just how blessed I have been.
- June told me not to put Hannah’s surgery on FB but I did: My entry was: “Hannah June having a hysterectomy.” June, alias Big Mama, has already gotten two text asking her how she is doing. She had the same surgery 38 years ago. Evidently, they saw the June but not the Hannah.
- I was at my computer last night when I heard a knock on the door. June will not answer the door at night so I went to see who it was and it was one of God’s servants with three bags of pecans and one delicious pecan pie that came from L.A. Thank YOU James Edward and Sue! Thank YOU Mrs. Lisa for the pie. O my, I do love pecan pie. What I mean– it’s great with ice cream! Sink me, I am a poet and you did not know it.