Jesus is not impressed by your show. Everything you do to impress others is repulsive to the God who’s eye never leaves you. His loving eye is always on you, is he pleased with what he sees?
The lyrics of the song Jireh by Elevation Worship speak directly to my heart. It says, “It doesn’t take a trophy to make you proud. I’ll never be more loved than I am right now.” I don’t know why I’ve tried my entire life to earn some kind of trophy to make my Father proud, but I’m finally realizing I’ve already won with God. I’m already loved. My performance is not required.
Lord, reveal our show. Move in our spirits to make us sick over the showy things we do that make you sick. Strip it all down so we can see you are our audience of one and you desire our presence over our performance.
The very last public sermon from Jesus warned against the show. Even in those days, they had a celebrity culture. Human hearts wanted to be admired and exalted, so there was a show to create a celebration of followers around them. Putting on the show of the day were the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees. They were the ones who looked spiritual, but inside they were spoiling.
Spiritual show. Gag. We’ve all seen it, but where are we guilty of doing it? Have you ever bowed your head to pray, but it was more to be seen praying that to actually talk to God? Have you ever pretended to praise but it was a physical show of something you never felt spiritually? God doesn’t need you to “show” a single person how to perform. Exit stage left, Sis! Your performance has been cancelled.
This last public sermon of Jesus is found in Matthew 23. Starting in verse 1, “Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, ‘The teachers of religious laws and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses. So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach. They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden. Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels. And they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues. They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and to be called Rabbi.'” Then, verse 11, “The greatest among you must be a servant. But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Jesus is telling the Pharisees to stop the show, and he’s telling his people to stop following the show. Yes, did you hear that? Stop following the show. If it’s become all about them, then it’s not all about Jesus, and it’s not for you. Have we become so entertained by the show that we’re following the very things Jesus said, “don’t follow.”
Girl, who are you following? For real, who’s life do you follow? Who’s reels do you watch? Who’s videos flood your feed? Who’s posts do you read? Are these people with an impressive show, but they’re not showing you Jesus, they’re just showing you them. (And it’s all really just a show.) Their show is to impress you, and that’s a problem. Jesus says, “Everything they do is for show. Don’t follow them.”
Unfollow. Delete. Disconnect. Seriously.
Now, look at all that space you have for Jesus again!
I’ve become a geek about God’s word. I love to dig deeper and understand the time and deeper meaning of words that we may be missing. So, what are the prayer boxes and tassels Jesus refers to? He says in verse 5, “Everything they do is for show. On the arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with ...