Let me start with a story…
“There was a concert pianist in the last century that longed to play in the great concert hall in Vienna.
When he finished his first concert before thousands, the people gave him a standing ovation.
Afterwards, he was asked, “Was it the greatest moment in your life to receive this long applause?”
The concert pianist replied, “No! I liked it, but it was not the most important thing to me.”
He said, “When the people all sat down, an elderly man who sat in the top corner of the balcony simply nodded his head at me. That was the greatest moment of my life because he is the master who taught me for 30 years. One nod from him was worth much more than the long applause of the masses.”
This story reminded me of the eternal perspective we as Christians are called to have. We are called to live our lives for the approval of our Master and not the approval of the masses. This month, I spent my time focused on serving the One who is worthy of all of our time and energy. Rather than trying to figure out how to represent Him, I rested in the reality that I am His ambassador in the earth and I stand IN CHRIST. I am His and everywhere I go I do represent Him.
Earlier this month, I read Matthew 25 where Jesus is talking about feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and taking care of the ‘least of these’. Jesus says ‘inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of My brethren, you did it to Me.’ I decided to love and serve each child that He placed in front of me in the way that He is worthy to be loved and served… to live for an audience of One.
This month, I spent 6 mornings a week with 7 beautiful girls who have Cerebral Palsy as well as various other physical and developmental issues. But the hours spent massaging their little muscles to help loosen their stiff bodies were joyful because I was falling more in love with them and Him every day. The hours and hours spent with a cup of Pediasure teaching a little 6 year old to swallow because her body never learned how to on its own were precious to me because I was able to see her beautiful smile that I know delights the heart of her Father in Heaven. The time spent talking with them and making them laugh will be moments I will not forget because I knew in those moments that I captured their gaze and His gaze.
When we live our lives for an audience of One, we are freed to love fully in each moment without fear of missing opportunities or wasting time, We are freed to fully embrace every person in front of us for however long the ‘moment’ lasts.
So, I challenge you… who is the ‘one’ you can love in this moment that will receive the ‘nod’ of the One who is altogether worthy of our devotion?
