The calm words of the wise are heeded more than the shouts of a ruler over fools. Ecclesiastes 9:17
Our company had decided to produce a video series—four sessions with one of America’s premier communicators addressing a large audience. As one of the individuals responsible for picking up the tab for this project, I had the privilege of sitting wherever I wanted to sit during the shooting.
For the first session, my wife and I sat in the audience. The second session, I sat backstage. The third session found me in the balcony, surveying the whole scene. But the fourth session was my favorite. I sat in the production truck, next to the director. Right there in front of us were six small screens. Each one showed the director— and me—what each of the six cameras was “seeing” at that moment. Three of these cameras were on the speaker, and three were on the audience. Because of the magic of hidden cameras and telephoto lenses, none of these folks had any idea they were being watched.
For a solid hour I listened to the director call the shots, and for a solid hour I followed the cameras that stealthily scanned people’s faces. This was so much fun I didn’t hear a word the speaker said. In that sixty minutes, I saw folks dozing off, chomping on gum (in spite of our request that they not chew it), whispering to their neighbors, and deftly picking their noses as though no one could see.
King Solomon must have had a bad day. Someone must have caught him, as Allen Funt, the guy who invented the old television show Candid Camera, used to say, “in the act of being himself.” He was angry and embarrassed.
“For certainly no one knows his time,” he moans, “like fish caught in a cruel net or like birds caught in a trap, so people are trapped in an evil time as it suddenly falls on them” (v. 12).
Although the Bible makes clear that in God’s sovereignty there is no such thing as “random,” how often have you and I felt like hidden cameras were snapping shots of us in compromising poses or website headlines were screaming our most intimate reflections? (Of course, through the miracle of social networking, many unwise people now do this to themselves. Don’t be one of them.)
What is Solomon’s advice? It’s profound. Did you catch it?
Once upon a time there was a little town (vv. 14–15). A vicious tyrant decided to send his troops to surprise this innocent city and lay it to ruin. Thankfully, in this tiny borough was a quiet and wise man, someone who understood the unexplainable power of unrecognized obedience and right thinking day after day. Eventually, the deeds of this inconsequential man saved the city.
The solution to the hot lights of spontaneous public scrutiny is to commit yourself to God. Then, with His help, you can quietly, diligently, and faithfully do right. Yes, there will be times when the hidden cameras take an occasional bite out of your pride, but your surrender to the Lord and your determination to continue to do right will overshadow your embarrassment. And your fear. And you’ll keep doing right.
Commit yourself to obeying God. Every time. And don’t be afraid of the storm troopers or the hidden cameras you cannot control. You’ll be all right.