On Display

Children with an outgoing personality characteristically love to have people watch them, especially their parents but often strangers as well.  A few are born actors or performers.  I grew up singing and acting in church, turned out to be a pastor but not because I was a born actor who found pleasure in being in front of people.  Like Paul I was compelled to serve in those roles. (1 Cor. 9:16)

However, whether I like it or not, I am in the show business—and if you are a believer you are as well!   Ephesians 2:7 states how believers will be showcased as trophies — examples of God’s expression of His incredible wealth of grace and kindness.  According to Ephesians 3:10 the viewers will be unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly realm.  But relax.  You and I will not have to speak or preform.  The focus will be on how God has graciously transformed depraved, undeserving broken vessels into vessels of honor.   The point is, God will showcase me because I have NOTHING to display that comes out of my behavior, worth, knowledge or skill set.  The brilliant and very gifted apostle Paul considered all he personally had to offer as dung/manure (Philippians 3:8-9) compared to mercifully gaining Christ.

Job was an example of this.  Job 1:8 (NLT2)  Then the LORD asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.”  You and I are also keepsakes of the Spirit’s craftsmanship intended for display.  He showcases what He shapes out of pliable clay in His hands in stark contrast to what Satan does with sinners.    

We often think of Daniel, who was thrown into the lion’s den, as a hero.   However, we need to remind ourselves he was not tossed to the lions so he would become a hero.  What happened to him was not even about him as much as it was about God wanting to display His power to king Darius of the rising heathen empire.  Daniel was just the willing servant God used to make sure that king Darius clearly understood He was the most powerful God.   Darius got the message loud and clear.  Darius did not make Daniel into a hero but asked “Daniel…has your God…been able to deliver you from the lions?” (Da 6:19-20).  Then went on to decree that in every part of my kingdom people should tremble with terror in front of Daniel’s God, the living God who continues forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed. His power lasts to the end [of time] (Daniel 6:26, GW).   Daniel was simply an earthly actor in a real-life drama that became an applause to Almighty God, not to Daniel.     

Back the story up to when Daniel had to choose to go through his common daily practice of opening his window and praying to our God.  He calmly proceeded with his daily pattern even though he knew his ill-willed enemies were spying on his every move and the consequence of his choice would mean the king would be forced to feed him to hungry lions. That looks like conviction to me, not a sideshow. 

Do you have such convictions that despite your busy schedules you make time for such regular times of prayer and worship to our God?  Second, if you knew evil people were eager for you to give them a good excuse to have you killed, would you calmly give them that opportunity on a silver platter by opening the window and praying as usual?  Or would you try to think of a way to make your prayer time more discrete?  My point is Daniel was not trying to be a trophy.  He was simply walking out his decades old conviction of worshipping his God.  Our role is not to try to be trophies by our efforts but rather simply live out His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Ep 2:10).  That is the show business the Spirit is shaping you for.  Are you pliable clay in His hand allowing Him to shape you into that kind of a trophy?   

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