If you live in Chicago, or visit there, then you will probably be watched. In a recent article, Chicago was called the most closely watched city in the US. As of right now they have an estimated 10,000+ cameras placed throughout the city and are likely to add many more. This system of cameras is so sophisticated, it is able to tell emergency authorities how big a fire is, where a suspect ran, what a gunman looks like, and even send an alert if a package is left next to a building for too long. Since 2006, four thousand arrests have been made with the help of the cameras. This truly is an awesome system (Click Here For Full Article).
What I found shocking about this article was how negative most peoples' comments were about this. They were grumbling and complaining about how this was an invasion of privacy and how they did not like it. However, no matter what people said, in my mind it really just came down to one thing, "People do not want to be watched." People want to be able to do whatever they want without having to worry about getting in trouble or someone else watching. Most of the time this includes something wrong or illegal. This should take us back to what Jesus said in John 3:19-20, "This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed." People do not want to be watched because they do not want to be exposed.
Whether we are in Chicago, New York, London, Denver, or anywhere else, we are always being watched. Maybe not by thousands of security cameras, but we are being watched by the one Being who really matters; God. God's eyes can either be a source of comfort or a source of fear, but that is completely up to us. If we are being righteous, then what do we have to fear from being watched? It is only those who practice wickedness who should fear being watched.
As I read this article I could not help but be reminded of Dean's sermon last Sunday night about "Practicing the Presence of God." God truly is watching every one of us in everything that we do. Hebrew 4:13 states, "And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do" (c.f. 2 Chronicles 16:9; Psalm 33:13-15; Proverbs 15:3; Jeremiah 16:17; etc). Let's live our lives as if God were standing right next to us all the time. Would He approve of the things we are doing and saying? If not, then it is time to change.
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