The Voice

~(music) This Is The Voice (cue more music)~~~~~~~~

My wife and I love a show on tv called "The Voice" that is broadcast on NBC networks. In case you've never seen it, it has 4 famous singers who are looking to coach unknown singers to stardom and hopefully to win the competition each season. All four "coaches" are in high backed chairs with their backs turned to the stage. One at a time, singers come out on the stage and give a 90 second performance. At any time during the performance the coach can hit a button in front of them and make their chair turn around towards the stage. This gives the singer an opportunity to pick a coach for the season (if there is more than one) or if only one, they will be automatically assigned to them. Unfortunately, some of the singers do not get a coach to turn around until they have completed their song, in which case all four coaches are turned around to the stage and they have a chance to give feedback to help the singer with their skills.

Growing up in the 60's and 70's, I loved what has come to be called "Classic Rock". Janis Joplin was one of my favorites, as something about her gravelly voice called out to me. This season there is another singer that has that kind of voice and a power house style of performance that I think will carry her far in the competition. Sarah Potenza is her name. Her wardrobe seems to try to mimic the styles of that era, and if many people judged her by looks, (at least by the way the current pop singers appear), she would not be very popular. But "The Voice" gives people a chance to initially prove themselves by their voice alone. As it progresses in the season, they will have to be able to show that they can perform for the audience as well.

Now, let's look at God and see if there is any comparison.
The Stage: Heaven
The Singer: God
The Song: Life
The Judges: Me and You

We start out in life facing away from the stage. We are born into sin and we have no connection with heaven. There is no "permalink" as the web likes to call connections made. We are looking out into the audience, many times gauging their reactions and motions as we go about listening to The Song. Just as I have seen the judges during the show be influenced by crowd reactions to the singer, we also are influenced by what goes on with the people who surround us.

Many times we want to be a part of the crowd, and we never really listen to what is happening on The Stage. We do this in life. We're too busy with everything going on around us to really listen to The Voice that is singing in our ear. Even at church we simply choose not to listen to the pastor and instead dwell on the things that we didn't get done this past week that we now have to add to our busy schedule. Or we are there simply for appearances and we have no sincere desire to make an actual attempt to be a part of The Voice.

Something in what they are singing, or the way that they are singing, just doesn't interest us. It may not be our style. In church, they may only sing one type of music, maybe just hymns, or praise & worship music, or maybe you don't like the instrumentation or speed of the music. Too fast, too slow, too guitary (hmmmm wonder if that is even a word. but you know what I mean). And yes, just because you go to church doesn't make you a Christian. (aw snap, that is a wake up call for many).

So we go through the performance with no contract, no guarantee and no commitment to be a part of what is happening on stage. WHY?

If these 4 coaches on this show never hit their button to turn around, nothing would ever get accomplished. But it wouldn't mean that they are not great singers and performers themselves. Each artist sells millions of albums, their names are a household name and millions of people flock to their concerts every year to watch and hear them perform. So, if they never turn around, it could never mean that they are not singers themselves. It just means that they didn't want to be a part of something else that may be bigger than themselves.

There are 2 ways to view this in our world.

(1)   You have people who simply refuse to be a part of what is happening on the stage behind them. They recognize the voice that they hear as telling them something that may or may not interest them a little bit, but not enough to be fully committed. These are the people who surround you that you call "good-hearted." A lot of times they don't attend church, you've never heard them give a witness about anything that God has done in their lives. Chances are they are not saved and have not given their life to Christ. It doesn't make them a bad person. Just like the coaches that never turn around for a singer are not bad singers themselves. These people who remain facing the audience just simply choose to not completely commit to someone else, in this case Jesus Christ. That connection is never made and there will be a price to pay for it. Just like the show where the coach can't win with that artist is they don't at least turn around and offer their commitment, these people will never have a chance to live with God in Heaven for the rest of eternity.

(2)   There are those who listen to the voice behind them and like what they hear and want to be a part of it. When a coach turns his/her chair on the show, they are offering their commitment to be a part of the singers life and hopefully make a better performer out of them. When we in life turn our chairs and accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, we are offering ourselves to God to make our world a better place. Some do this for "fire insurance" (see a much earlier blog about this) so that they escape Hell, but they never really put their all into the mission. Some fully give themselves to help God further His mission, including becoming ministers, missionaries, or workers in a church and serving in capacities where needed. Just as a coach will reap more out of the effort that they put into an artist, we also reap more from what we truly give of ourselves to God.

 

Revelation 4:10-11  New International Version (NIV)

¹⁰ the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:

¹¹ “You are worthy, our Lord and God,

    to receive glory and honor and power,

for you created all things,

    and by your will they were created

    and have their being.”

We will receive these crowns based on what we have done in Jesus' name, not ours. (more on that in a later blog I'm sure.)

So to wrap this up, I'm asking you, what Voice are you listening to? Each person has heard "the voice". Some turn their chairs, excited to be a part of something great, and others remain facing "the audience" or in life's case, the world and always keeping their back towards God.

Just as in the show when the coaches do not turn their chairs and the song ends, they have no way of going back and changing their mind to be a part of it. I've seen it happen many times where they try to hit the button after they are facing the stage, but it is all for naught. In life we too have a chance to listen to "the voice" and turn our chairs. Once the music and the singing stops, that choice will be over. We will only have the judgement and an eternity in Hell. You cannot get a "redo" and a chance to hit the button.

Revelation 20: 14-15

14   Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.

15   And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

 

So  your choice today is: Do I turn my chair while God is still singing, or do I remain facing away from Him which will condemn me to an eternity where I can never be a part of Him?

Please, turn your chair.

Here comes the Judge!

A little boy was waiting for his mother to come out of the grocery Store.
As he waited, he was approached by a man who asked,
"Son, can you tell me where the Post Office is?"

The little boy replied, "Sure! Just go straight down this street a coupla blocks and turn to your right."

The man thanked the boy kindly and said, “I'm the new pastor in town.  I'd like for you to come to church on Sunday.  I'll show you how to get to Heaven."

The little boy replied with a chuckle. "Awww, come on...
You don't even know the way to the Post Office." 

Have you ever been in that situation? Someone that was new to the town or the area stops and asks directions to a place, and you tell them how to get there. Then when that someone tries to offer you a kindness in return, your kindness goes out the window. On the other hand, you are so "hoity-toity" (if you don’t know that one, email me) that you can’t believe that someone who asked you something had the nerve to offer teach you something else.
People often judge us on our first reactions. Your first reaction would have been one of kindness. You told them how to get to their destination. They automatically become at ease with you since you seemed to be friendly.
Then all of a sudden you say something hurtful to their offer of kindness, either out of ignorance or lack of consideration for how others feel. The avenue that you opened up initially is gone. Chances are the person will just walk away, count their blessings that they escaped and possibly never speak to you again.
You may say, "Well, they shouldn’t wear their feelings on their sleeves."
Yes, maybe they shouldn’t. But we are all human. (Unless there is an alien reading this. Then contact me at my information listed in the profile please. I have a million questions to ask of you, and I won’t be hurtful in my answers. <wink>) And we have to remind ourselves that others are human. Sometimes that person may have had an encounter that upset them for some reason. Maybe it was a spat with their spouse. Maybe the boss is riding them because of a looming deadline. Perhaps the kids would not cooperate this morning, and they ran late, both to school and work. It could be a million things. Doesn’t really matter. What matters is our attitude.
We have to be constantly vigilant that we keep our minds focused on Christ. How would Christ act in this situation?

John 13:34 (New International Version, ©2011)
   A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

Notice what Jesus said. "You MUST love one another." Not maybe. Not possibly try to and hope you’re not having a bad day. You MUST.
Now I will be the first one to admit that I have met some people who it is really hard to love. And a popular saying that I’ve heard for years is, "Love the sinner, Hate the sin." I think I know what they are trying to say. But this is not scriptural. We are to love everyone. But we are to shun the sins that anyone may commit. Although be careful. Jesus warned also:

Matthew 7:1-5 (New International Version, ©2011
"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?  You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye."

In other words, Love That Person, no matter what. But get your own house in order. Sure, you do not have to, nor should you want to participate in their wrongdoings. But don’t beat them up over it either, especially if you have anything going on in your life that would cause someone to stumble too.
So let’s become the person that we want others to be. Let’s become Christian again. Sure, it’s hard in this day and age when you are bombarded so many times with temptations and opportunities for wrong doing. When the Christians get right in their lives, the church becomes an example of Christianity again, and Christ is restored to his place of respect in our homes, churches and communities once again. Then we can reach out to others and they will have a reason to want to be Christ-Like too.

Wednesday, a new series entitled: "You Might Be in a Country Church If ... " that looks at 14 things that we do in our churches that can be confusing, misguided or just plain wrong. I hope you enjoy it!