Text: Colossians 3:17-24
“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.” Colossians 3:23
Faith will be driving the special teams captain for the New England Patriots when he takes the field on Super Bowl Sunday. Matthew Slater, the 2017 recipient of the Bart Starr Award, is not only a man who talks publicly about his faith, he is a man who practices it as well.
Matthew Slater grew up in a football home in southern California. His father, Jackie Slater, was an All-Pro offensive lineman for the Los Angeles Rams and is now in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Jackie Slater received the Bart Starr Award in 1996, making the Slaters the first father-son duo to ever win this prestigious award.
The Bart Starr Award was created to honor the NFL player who best exemplifies outstanding character and leadership in the home, on the field and in the community. “It was really emotional for me,” Slater said after learning that he had received the award.
“I really value the human element of football. I really value the relationships I’ve made with people over the years. All that stems from the faith I have in God and the way I was raised by my parents.”
The six-time Pro Bowler has been a leader and a positive example to his team both on and off the field. After every game, win or lose, he leads his team in prayer as the stands empty and the lights go down. Slater has a very simple explanation of his faith:
“I think everything I do, I do for an audience of one.”
The Apostle Paul seemed to share that sentiment in writing to the believers in Colossae. After admonishing Christ-followers to abandon the old self and “put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator” (Colossians 3:1-16), he encourages them to adopt this audience of One approach to everyday life (Colossians 3:17-24). The phrase Paul chose was commonly used for changing a set of clothes. The imagery suggested is that we take off the old garments of people-pleasing, and put on the new garments of seeking God’s pleasure foremost in our lives.
Paul reminds us that God is the unseen audience in all of our daily interactions and relationships. Being mindful of this changes the game in how we treat others. Playing for an audience of One means that we guard ourselves from becoming “harsh” with our spouse or overbearing with our children. It means that we recognize more of Jesus in our coworkers and our peers—even our bosses! And treat them accordingly.
Playing for an audience of One involves guarding our integrity when it seems no one is watching, “not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.” Simply stated, it means doing everything “as for the Lord and not for men.”
When we play for the audience of One, everyone wins. We win. Our spouse wins. Our children win. Our colleagues win. Our faith wins. Our communities win. And most importantly, God’s glory wins.
Where can you play more for the audience of One in the gridiron of your life? Think about that as you seek to abide in Him this week.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, You are the unseen audience in all of our daily interactions. Your pleasure means more than human praise. Your approval sustains us despite what others may think or say about us. We seek Your glory in our lives above the applause of earthly beings. This by no means gives us a license to be calloused towards others, but conversely, it compels us to treat every other human being as an image-bearer of Jesus, himself. God, fill us with Your Holy Spirit and cause us to play for Your audience in everything that we do. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Questions for Reflection and/or Family Discussion:
- How would you describe your “old self” and your “new self”?
- Have you ever struggled with being a people-pleaser?
- What is at the root of our need for human or divine affirmation?
- Who are the people in your life that are most difficult to get along with right now? How might playing to the audience of One affect that situation?
- What can you do this week to be more mindful of God’s presence in all of your daily interactions?
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