The classic ‘character’ questions, ones like the one above and “Is there anything you would do if it was guaranteed that no-one would find out?” are of course excellent questions that reveal the core of one’s character. They are used in Yaps/Tribal Training/Form and in discipleship huddles everywhere on earth to great effect, fruit and success.

The more I think about those questions the more I realise that excellent though they are they also subtly reinforce a quite destructive lie: That there are times when you are alone. We of course know this to be untrue - God sticks closer than a brother - He never leaves you or forsakes you - the Kingdom is at hand - a very present help in times of need, etc. Satan would love you to believe the lie, and I think if you were to continually remind yourself of those questions (in that form) when you’re faced with a crisis you could believe that for a given time you are alone. Once you believe that you are alone then, of course, all is lost. Say goodnight.

No, let’s rephrase the questions from now on to reinforce the truth: “What do you do when only God is looking?”.  I’m sure that that reinforcement of truth behind a searching question would have a much better effect when facing temptation and considering our character. However, usually we think in far less grand terms of course - it’s easy to kind of ‘block’ God out of our concious thoughts when the desire to sin comes - of course we wouldn’t sin if a person was around but somehow we sometimes don’t count God as being a person or as just not being there.

God said to seek praise from Himself rather than from man - and I think the same principle is at work here in terms of character. It is only God’s observation of you that counts, not man’s - you’d be much better off sinning observed by every man, woman and child on the earth than God seeing it, (of course that isn’t possible), in the same way that God’s praise is more important than receiving praise from every man, woman and child on the earth.

When your life comes to an end it is to God that you will called to account - praise God for accountability here on earth - accountability partners are a gift from God and accountability is the Kingdom come - the kingdom in seed form - a token of the kingdom - this is what the King is like, etc.. So..: Is there anything you would do if it was guaranteed that only God would know about it?

What do you when only God is looking?

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