Since it’s the holiday season, my boss went on leave and won’t be back for a few weeks. We have a very flexible team. We’re not bound by any schedule, and we’re more of a results-oriented unit. Since my boss is not around, I could do anything I want in the office. Of course, I’m not going to be immature. I think I have enough emotional intelligence to do what’s right in this scenario. However, this situation got me thinking, what are the other things I do when no one is looking? One word. Cringeworthy. It’s easy to do what’s right in front of an audience. That’s why we can see a lot of good things recorded on video and posted on social media. Will you still buy that homeless person a decent dinner if no one recorded you? Will you still do outreach activities if no one posts it on social media? Will I still write my testimonies of Jesus if no one follows me on social media? It’s hard really. It seems that the more we progress temptation evolves to something that can sway our belief system and moral standards. Going back to what I want to say, the truth is we’re never alone. God is omnipresent. He is everywhere! He sees us when we do good and when we do wrong. If we think no one recognises our productivity, think again. Jesus knows and those who follow Him in secret will be rewarded publicly.
In the same way, if we think we could get away with anything we need to think twice. Death is always the consequence of sin. It may not be sudden or literal, but death will soon come your way if you choose to follow the wicked ways of the world. The Bible tells the story about ten virgins who waited for their bridegroom, Matthew 25 New International Version (NIV) The Parable of the Ten Virgins 25 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 6 “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ 7 “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ 9 “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. 11 “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’ 12 “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ 13 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour. We should strive to keep doing the right thing or else face the consequences. Success demands consistency. We may think we are in total control of our fate, but we’re not. We became so arrogant that we think we can be the kings of our destiny. We can’t just do anything we want! We need to be humble enough to accept that we need to live according to God’s will! It requires high emotional intelligence to obey God’s purpose in our lives when no one is looking. Can you trust yourself to do the right thing when no one is around? I struggle with it too, but we can remember that the Holy Spirit is always with us. We can call on Him when it gets too hard. He is always around.