IS ANYONE LOOKING?

By Regi Campbell

I played basketball as a kid. I was always good enough to make the teams but not good enough to get much playing time. So the highlight of my basketball "career" was the warm-up time before the games... you know... when all the players get in two lines; one line is shooting lay ups and the other line is getting the rebound and passing to the next shooter. I remember running as fast as I could, jumping as high as I could, and trying my darndest to make those lay ups ... and to make 'em look good!

And why? Because there was a crowd there, that's why!

Every day, practice was drills, scrimmages, and sweat in an empty gym. But when game day rolled around, there were people – spectators, parents, teachers ... and girls!

Attention is powerful. When somebody's watching, we tend to give it our best. But the opposite is equally true; when nobody's watching, we tend to slack off.

So how do you get yourself "fired up" on the job when you're 'just part of the machine'; when no one seems to know what you do ... whether you do it really great or just get by.

I found my answer in a quote from a really bright guy named Os Guinness. He said, "We live our lives before an audience of One!" And that one is our Heavenly Father. He cares immensely about you. He knows everything you do ... every ounce of extra effort you put in as well as every shortcut you take. He never turns His head to look the other way. He never goes on vacation, so the idea of "the cat's away, so the mice will play" just doesn't cut it. He's always in the audience ... smiling ... pulling for you ... watching what you do and how you do it.

Imagine if there was a real live "God-Cam" installed in your office, the break room and the employee cafeteria. We'd be working pretty hard and focused on doing it right wouldn't we!

Well, there is a "God-Cam" in your office. There's also one in the break room, in your car, at the restaurant where you have lunch, and over your computer where you access the Internet. Your "audience of One" is always tuned in ... watching ... pulling for you to make good choices and wincing in pain when you don't.

So, the next time you think no one cares about the job you do, remember that you have an audience – a very important audience – who's there with you and for you in everything you do. That audience is THE ONE! Make Him smile.

Think and Pray

How does the knowledge that you always have an audience of One make you feel?

Lord, I know that You see all that I do, but sometimes it is easy to forget that. As I work today, help me to remember that I should be working for You, not just because You're watching, but out of love for You. Amen.

This WorkLife SwitchTOOL was written by Regi Campbell. Regi has extensive practical experience of work-life ministry and outreach, and has written About My Father's Business (Multnomah, 2005). Used by permission. All rights reserved. Content edited and distributed by WorkLife.org for non-profit educational purposes.