Woke: Living for an Audience of One in a Cancel Culture
As believers, we live for an audience of one. Galatians 1:10 makes it clear that we do not live for the approval of men, only God. A recurring theme in the bible is the rejection of the world’s standards in favor of living set apart to demonstrate God’s grace and love. One great example of this is Moses’ life.
In Exodus 32, we see that although God had gone to great lengths to set the Israelites free, their impatience with the process got the best of them, and they decided to take matters into their own hands by creating an idol. As the God-ordained leader of the Israelite rescue efforts, Moses’ anger burned at their arrogance and ingratitude. So much so, that in Exodus 32:20 he destroys their new idol, grinds it to powder, scatters it on the water, and makes them drink it. Talk about resistance to compromise!
However, Moses is not the only example; we also see Jesus model fidelity and courage consistently. In John 5:17–20, Jesus makes it clear that He only does what the Father wants Him to do. Similarly, that should be the heart-cry of every believer. We can rest assured that when we live for an audience of one, unafraid of what anyone can do to us, we will see the following fruit:
1. Fellow believers also spurred on to boldness and encouraged to live out their faith (Hebrews 10:24–25);
2. Unbelievers experiencing an encounter with God because of our witness (Luke 4:18–19); and
3. The satisfaction of knowing that God takes delight in our obedience (1 Samuel 15:22).
The truth is that nowhere in scripture does it say that living for an audience of one will be easy. We are reminded in John 16:33 that in this world we will have trouble. However, we also have a promise that God will never leave or forsake us. That means that we can have confidence that an unbending posture will demonstrate that greater is God in us than he that is in the world.
Scripture References:
John 5:17–20 NIV
In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed.
Galatians 1:10 NIV
Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
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Andrena Sawyer is an author, consultant, and ministry founder whose background includes surviving the civil war in Sierra Leone. Her authenticity and battle-tested principles inspire audiences to embrace their past, own their present and maximize their future.
You can read more about her here, and read the full Woke series here.
