Pastor Don Wolan

Pastor Donald Wolan
Downriver Christian Community Church
Melvindale, Michigan

Monday, February 27, 2012

Fraudville!




From the late 1800s to the 1930s, vaudeville ruled the world of entertainment. Vaudeville was an assortment of amusing, strange, or incredible acts, ranging anywhere from singers and dancers to jugglers, comedians, and acrobats. A vaudeville show would consist of many of these varied performances under one main grand title, and the audience was treated to eclectic presentations.

Many of the early famous television and movie star personalities grew up honing their skills on the live vaudeville circuit and gave props to "the old days of vaudeville" when asked about their experience and training. Later in the 1900s, the term vaudeville became associated with ideas such as cheap entertainment and devoted amateurs - cheesy, unprofessional, and void of any real entertainment substance. It was almost always used in a pejorative sense toward any act not worthy of the "real" stage!




While watching the 2012 NBA All-Star Game, the term "vaudevillian" entered my mind and took root. Here I was watching some of the "greatest athletes" in the world "play" a game of basketball. These athletes are paid millions of dollars in contract fees as well as tens of millions in basketball shoe endorsements. Sure, it looked like the real thing with all the big names, cameras, lights, fans, heart-pounding music, and cheerleaders, but it was outright fraud. There was no heart or passion in the players to play a "real" basketball game. Instead the "stars" went through the motions and pretended they were serious in the act they were performing. No bodies were laying on the floor as they dove for loose balls, no players even tried to stop other players as they drove to the basket for one of a multitude of uncontested dunks, and nobody seemed to be too upset at the conclusion of the game. The losing side walked off the court smiling and joking with each other. It was nothing but lots of hype and a chance for fans to see their basketball heroes "play" against other basketball "heroes"!  

Now I mention this episode of fraud because I began to think about many Christians who give the illusion that they are serious about playing the game of Christianity! They dress the part, speak the proper lingo, carry a Bible around, or quote a couple of passages when it is convenient for them. But when it comes to the "reality" of serving the King with ALL of their lives, they go through the motions similar to the NBA stars playing their "All-Star Game" - appearing to others like they are really doing what they are supposed to be doing!

The Bible says in 1 Samuel 16:7:
But the LORD said to Samuel, "Don't judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn't see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.

In our walk with the Lord, may we desire to serve the King with ALL our hearts, minds, soul, and strength! May our service to him never be "fraudvillian" or a cheap masquerade. Instead, may our service be of such high quality and cost that Jesus himself will congratulate each of us with those precious words of "Well done, my good and faithful servant!" May we be like King David when he was offered a piece of land for a sacrifice to stop a plague from the Lord when he said in 2 Samuel 24:24: "I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing!"   


Count the cost and then give him EVERYTHING! He's worth it!

Stay Holy, My Friends!






Pastor Don