All The World's A Stage

How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God? – John 5:44

“All the world’s a stage”, so begins one of Shakespeare’s famous monologues. Tonight Jacob’s High School play opens. The cast has been rehearsing and rehearsing for many months and tonight the actors finally get to perform their play to an audience. Their hope is that all their rehearsing pays off and their performance will receive praise from the audience.

As Shakespeare tells us in his famous quote, life is kind of like a play and we live our lives for an audience. Who are you living your life for? Maybe you live your life to please yourself, or to please others, but Jesus says that we should be living our lives for an audience of one. That audience of one is God, because it is his praise that truly matters.

As Christians, we are called to live for an audience of one. In life, we will often be tempted to try to please others and they will try to steal away our attention and time. But we need to remain focused on the one we are called to live for, because on judgment day we will all stand before that one. On that day I want to hear God’s applause…and I want to know that I have lived my life for his praises!

Tonight the actors in the High School play are hoping that the house is packed, but they would still give their best performance even if one person showed up. Let us always give our best performance to the audience of one!

Prayer: Lord, help me to live my life each and every day for you. Help me to seek your praises and not be so concerned about what others think. I want to live for you and you alone. Amen.

Faith Tip: As you live in this day imagine God is your audience and think about what you can do to receive his applause.

Written by Pastor Aaron Anderson