Eliminating Doubt

Tuesday, February 02, 2010 Print Article
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Eliminating Doubt
John C. Richards Jr.
Tap! Tap! Tap!

All of sudden, the once rowdy group came to order. The crowd's chatter died down. It was time to start the show. The maestro had arrived and the concert was to begin. There's just something about the presence of a maestro. His presence brings order out of chaos. It signifies the beginning of a wonderful musical masterpiece.

The atmosphere becomes reverent when he shows up. He demands respect that is comparable to that of a king's coronation. Jesus is no different. He has the ability to make order out of chaos and to qualm all fears. He also has the uncanny ability to eliminate doubt in our lives. How does this happen? It happens when we follow orchestral protocol. The word 'maestro' is Italian in origin and means 'master or teacher.'

Jesus is often referred to in scripture as master or teacher. He, in essence, is the Great Maestro in our lives, tapping on the strings of our hearts to bring to order the chaos in our lives.

One of the amazing things about a maestro is his ability to maintain eye contact with his ensemble. Eye contact represents attentiveness. Any good date, interview, or business interaction is characterized by great eye contact throughout. Christ is attentive to every one of our needs; so much so that he will supply each and every one of them (Philippians 4:19).

However, our own doubt causes us to lose eye contact with our Great Maestro. Peter was well aware of this fact. In Matthew's Gospel he found himself walking on water (See Matthew 14:28-31). However, his inability to maintain eye contact caused him to doubt the very thing that Jesus already told him that he could do. Eye contact with Jesus was so key when Peter walked on the Sea of Galilee that when it was lost, Peter began to sink.

Many times we can get bogged down in the waves of life and forget about the necessity of eye contact. How am I going to pay this bill? Splish. Will I ever get married? Splash. When can I start a job in the field in which I really want to work? Splash. Ask any tight rope walker and they will tell you: the key to reaching your destination is found in your ability to keep your eye on the goal. Don't look down. The apostle Paul said it best: We are called to "press toward [our] goals..." (Philippians 3:14).

Maintaining eye contact with Jesus is important when trying to eliminate doubt. Even the best musician in an orchestra can wind up being a failure if he misses his cue from the maestro. Without that visual cue, the orchestra member begins to doubt his/her role in the composition.

Where are your eyes?
Where is your focus?
Are you beginning to doubt your role in God's great composition?

I want to encourage you to refocus on the One who wrote the piece and knows your role better than anyone else. It is then, and only then, that you can begin to eliminate doubt in your life and live the life that God has called you to live. You play an important role in God's work. Without you, the harmony is slightly off.

Without you, the composition is incomplete. Stay focused, give the Maestro your undivided attention, and watch the masterpiece unfold before your eyes.



John C. Richards, Jr., Esq. is a husband, writer, attorney, and student. While an attorney by career choice, he is involved in local ministry in the urban Los Angeles area and remains passionate about juvenile justice. He is concluding his final year at Fuller Theological Seminary, and is currently on staff at Hope Community Church in Pasadena, California. For more information about John, log onto www.brotherpreacher.com


© John C. Richards Jr. all rights reserv