episode 22. STAGED PERFORMANCES

who do we follow? thelawdsway

In a previous conversation with a fellow sister in Christ, I was recommended to watch the sermon called 'The Power of a Quiet Life' by Francis Chan. If you haven't heard or viewed this video, I would highly recommend going to watch it (available on YouTube) because it gives a deeper meaning to the Bible verse 1st Thessalonians 4:11.

Now before we go any further, here's what the verse says from the NKJV version:

That you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you.

I've been instilled with this verse from young. In essence, mind your business and mind your own. It's that simple. Live a quiet life and don't overshare; maintain a good balance between being public and keeping things private.

Don't be all up in other people business.

There's a difference between knowing a verse at face value upon reading it once and KNOWING a verse when you've taken the time to interpret the deeper meaning, going further than what it means at face value.

1st Thessalonians 4:11 literally gives the direction of the title of Francis Chan's sermon: the power of a quiet life. Not everything you have and own should be for the world to know, share, record, keep, discuss, analyse, criticise, and gain ownership of such information themselves.

I made a couple of points of my intake from watching the sermon which I would like to share below:

• There's a difference between being a pursuer and being pursued, in general and with a specific focus of the media and what we share of faith.

• Pursuer: chasing crowds.

• Pursued: crowds are coming to you.

• Keep things sealed, not everyone wants to see you publicly succeed.

• When God heals you it's not always for the need of public knowledge, not everyone wants to see you heal.

  
  

Pursuer vs Pursued

Chan said during the sermon that "we're living in a time where it is assumed that the virtuous thing to do is to get a bigger and bigger crowd."

Chan also said during the sermon that "you got to be faithful in the little before you can be faithful to the world. A lot of people are clamouring to be voices. We need less voices and more examples."

Now the former follows the stance of being a pursuer and the latter of being pursued. It's true. Social media is a platform of staged performances.

Not everything we see in the media is true.

Not everything we read is right.

Not everything we view we should follow.

It is a platform of staged performances and so some may view it as only right to have to keep gaining a bigger crowd to make sure we’re reaching the masses with the Word, and in general. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, though there are differences to being virtuous on how we are reaching the masses. The difference stems from those who seek to spread the word and reach the masses by genuine means, and those who seek to do the same action for their own personal gain of increasing their subscriber and follower count. Those who follow the style of the latter could be deemed as using the platform as a staged performance- spreading the word at face value but for an agenda solely for personal gain behind face value.

The bigger the crowd doesn’t always necessarily mean the higher the number of people we have reached and touched by telling them about God’s Word.

Sometimes big actions only make small changes.

Sometimes all we need to spread the Word is to be an example and not a voice.

It follows the phrase ‘are you going to talk about it or be about it?’ Live a quiet life and let the actions that you take in life tell your story, to show the greatness of who God is in your life.

Actions are more impactful than words. We learn by what we see others do more so than through what they say.

So, what are you doing to be an example of what it means to follow God’s Word over than what you’re saying you are going to do.

Are you living in reality or through a staged performance? Life is more than living online.

There’s a real world, with real people, opportunities, and experiences to live and see through.

There’s a real world, with real people, opportunities, and experiences to connect with and share God’s Word.

There’s a real world, with real people, opportunities, and experiences to become a vessel of God’s Word for and show them that if I can make it through the troubles and turbulences that life can bring, so can you as we have the backing of the Most High.

The Great I Am.

Social media is a platform of staged performances. Turn it off sometimes, see what real life has to offer and connect with people live and direct.

Remember, Trust in the Lord, Love like the Lord and Walk with the Lord. TLW

who do we follow? thelawdsway