You Never Know Who’s Watching

Seven courts. Two teams on each court. Nearly two hundred players, along with coaches, family members, tournament staff, and several dozen basketball officials.

Whistles echoed every few seconds. Coaches instructed players. Parents cheered from the sidelines. Shoes squeaked across the hardwood. Missed shots clanged off the rim.

This was my fourth summer working a girls' basketball team camp as a referee.

As an official, you know people are watching. Coaches question your calls. Players react to your decisions. Parents watch every whistle.

You also know evaluators from our high school officials association are observing your mechanics, positioning, communication, fitness, and judgment. This year, however, representatives from a college conference were there as well.

I wasn't attending as a college prospect. I was there with our high school association. Or so I thought.

Later, I learned the college supervisors had been watching some of us too.

Every whistle.

Every signal.

Every interaction.

Everything was being observed.

The interesting thing about an evaluation is that you can't simply "turn it on" when the evaluator walks by. You never really know when, or from where, they're watching. Sometimes they stand quietly on another court. Sometimes they casually lean against a wall, making notes without anyone noticing.

Then it hit me.

That’s a lot like the Christian life.

Proverbs 15:3 says, “The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.”

Jesus said in Matthew 5:16, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Good officials don’t work hard because they’re being watched.

Good officials work hard because that is who they are.

Eventually, the evaluators notice. Coaches notice. Players notice. Consistency and integrity have a way of standing out.

The same is true for followers of Jesus.

We shouldn’t choose honesty because someone might catch us doing the wrong thing. We should choose honesty because Christ has already changed us from the inside out.

Character is who you are when nobody is applauding. Integrity is doing the right thing whether someone is watching or not.

Maybe someone is watching you today.

Your children.

Your coworkers.

A neighbor.

A friend.

Or maybe it feels like no one notices at all.

Either way, God does.

The wonderful thing about following Jesus is that we don’t perform for His approval. Through Christ, we already have it. That frees us to be faithful in the ordinary, unnoticed moments of life.

Someone may be watching.

But even if no one is...

God is.

Anyway, I was just thinking...