Constant Vigilance
'Tis the season for all things Halloween, and whether you observe it or not, everywhere you
look you'll see witches and goblins and spiderwebs and all things All Hallows Eve related.
When I was a kid, we looked forward to trick-or-treat; it was the one day a year, other than
Christmas, we had unlimited access to candy for as long as it lasted in our handy-dandy plastic
pumpkins or large paper grocery bag with handles.
One memorable Halloween my very very pregnant aunt Frances showed up to take us trick-or-
treating, and we thought she was Fat Albert from the cartoon. We were too young to know she
was expecting (we didn't talk about those things back in the day), and in our innocence we
didn't notice she wasn't African American or a boy like Fat Albert...she was just big and round
like him! That was enough! Another year she dressed as either Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm or
Pippy Longstocking-I can't remember which, if either-but her costume was complete with
overalls, braided pigtails, and drawn-on freckles. We used pillows, hand-me-downs, feed sacks,
sheets, and hats to affect our personas, and we delightedly drove around the neighborhood to
collect our goods.
Mom wore actual stockings, not pantyhose, stockings with a garter belt, but not the sexy kind.
A sturdy cotton girdle-type garter belt in white. Her stockings were not support hose; they were
sheer and suntan, so we always had a supply of face masks to camouflage our identity as we
begged door to door in our neighborhood. It was only later that we realized every stereotypical
bank robber in the world of TV wore stockings over their faces. It's a thousand wonders we
didn't all turn to a life of crime!
Unless you lived under a rock in the last couple of decades, you have probably at least heard of,
if not consumed the billion-dollar franchise of books about a little boy with a great big talent, a
pair of John Lennon glasses, and a lightning bolt scar on his forehead, put there by an evil
genius that was part human/part snake. Harry Potter took the world by storm! After some
trepidation-some groups warned about the evils of witchcraft and sorcery-my family decided
the themes of good choices, friendship, and sacrificial love were worth investing in, and we
read the books, listened to audio versions, saw the movies.
It's still one of my favorite series, and this time of year, it's fun to bring it out and remember the
joy and fun it brought our family. I'm particularly captivated by the character of Alistair "Mad-
Eye" Moody. He first shows up in the fourth novel of the series, The Goblet of Fire. He is an
auror-a master at capturing dark wizards-and most of the evil wizards in the wizard prison
Azkaban are there because of Mad-Eye Moody. He is kidnapped by an evil wizard who,
through Polyjuice potion, assumes Mad-Eye's identity in order to infiltrate the wizard school
Hogwarts and destroy Harry Potter, the boy who lived when evil genius Voldemort tried to
destroy him as an infant.
Mad-Eye's catchphrase throughout-or rather, his kidnapper and assumer of his identity, Barty
Crouch's catchphrase- is "Constant Vigilance!" The phrase serves to remind the reader that
evil is all around, and Mad-Eye is good at spotting it, and for Barty, Jr., the dark wizard
kidnapper, it's a reminder that he can be found out at any time if he lets his guard down, forgets
his Polyjuice potion, or acts in a way that would be uncharacteristic of Mad-Eye.
I find myself intrigued with the imposter Mad-Eye's phrase in my life and business. In a world
that is increasingly resistant to the truths of Scripture, that vilifies conservative values, and
where people who call themselves Christ followers vilify the people who disagree with them,
it's difficult to know what to be vigilant about!
As a someone who identifies with Jesus, I find myself sympathetic to Barty Crouch, Jr. and his
imposter syndrome. Scripture says we are to "put on the Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 13:12). If
I'm wearing Jesus-just like ol' Barty is wearing Mad-Eye-shouldn't Constant Vigilance be
by catchphrase as well? What does it mean to keep "on guard?" What do I need to consume,
like his daily Polyjuice potion, to make sure I look in all ways like Jesus looks? How can I be
sure I'm acting in a way that is consistent with Jesus?
I hear horror stories that put me on my guard... A friend of mind told me about entering the
business of a church goer she knows. She said she felt like vultures descended upon her when
she walked in. She didn't feel like a person, she felt like dollar signs. Pressure was exerted for
an upsell of her purchase, and she walked away with guilt and remorse for what she spent.
I know of a ministry that has a slew of former employees who left their positions disgruntled
and undervalued because they'd been moved like chess pieces on a board without consideration
for their gifts, their abilities, or the good of the ministry. One person said of her former boss,
"He's a toddler. He thinks every whim he has is worthy of implementing without thought for
how it affects anyone else. I'm not a person, I'm an asset to be disposed of when he decides
he'd rather work with someone else." OUCH!
When we bought a house a few years ago, the sellers took great pains to indicate they were
Christians, but at the closing, they nearly reneged on the sale because the financer required that
they install a $25 handrail on the stairs to the basement. Upon possession of the house, we
found things they'd failed to disclose, and it left a sour taste in our mouth. I even quipped
afterward, "If they have to tell you they're Christians, probably better not do business with
them.
Now, as a business owner and entrepreneur, I think of Constant Vigilance in terms of myself! I
want Christ to be evident in the way I conduct my business, in integrity, generosity, grace. I
need to be on my guard, but not for the expectation that someone will beat me out of a dime, or
steal my product, or somehow short me of what I deserve. All those things are scarcity
mentality, and do not reflect the generosity of God to us nor His Kingdom economy.
Our culture encourages a "bottom line" mentality. Kingdom economics has a much richer view
of success. The Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, "But since you excel in
everything-in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for
us-see that you also excel in this grace of giving." Success is excellence, and faith, and love,
as we serve others. Paul encouraged them to guard these aspects of character! Financial success
is predisposed by excellence, service, generosity, honoring God with our business practices and
what we do with success when we get it.
I need to be on my guard, then, that I'm a fair and generous boss, paying a fair wage and
building my employees up. An employer who treats people not as commodities, but as image
bearers of God. A person whose Source is God the Father, not me, grinding to the detriment of
family, taking short cuts that are expedient in the moment, but long-term bad strategy.
Constant vigilance "that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth as with a muzzle
while the wicked are in my presence," David wrote (Psalm 39:1). Or the words of Jesus: "Keep
watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh
is weak." (Matthew 26:41) Constant vigilance!
My Polyjuice potion is daily doses of the presence of God, experiencing Him in prayer,
meditation, His word. How can I wear Jesus at work if I don't know what He looks like? How
he conducts business? How He instructs us in all manner of life and business through His word?
Zig Ziglar said "People often say motivation doesn't last. Neither does bathing -- that's why we
recommend it daily." Same with encountering God...His word for yesterday was for yesterday.
His word today is for today. I need to be vigilant that I obey what His word commands so that
my actions reflect the Jesus that I wear before the world.
Constant vigilance means that I under-promise and over-deliver. That I own and correct my
mistakes with humility and grace. One of the scriptures my dad used to quote was Proverbs
16:7; "When a man's ways please the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be a peace with
him." The first "He," the one who makes it so, is the Lord. Doing the right thing, in the right
way, at the right time (righteousness + humility + divine appointment) brings dividends that
God himself will pay you.
Peter admonished the church in his letter, "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil
prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in
the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the
same kind of sufferings.
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a
little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast." (1 Peter 5:8-10)
In The Goblet of Fire, Barty Crouch, Jr. is captured, of course, and Alistair "Mad-Eye" Moody
is released from his captivity. The catch phrase, "Constant vigilance!" is never uttered by the
real Mad-Eye in any of the books that follow. He doesn't have to remind himself to be watchful
and alert. It was always part of his character. He didn't have to worry about "slipping up." The
day will come when we no longer must "put on" Christ, because, as John writes in 1 John 3:
"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!
And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
Dear friends, now we are children of God and what we will be has not yet been made known.
But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is."
(verses 1-2)
Verse 3 goes on to say, "All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure."
Daily drinking in His word. Alert that we don't fall into the traps of the devil nor imitate the
world system about which John says, "Practically everything that goes on in the world-
wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important-has
nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. The world and all its wanting,
wanting, wanting is on the way out-but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity." (1
John 2:16-17 MSG) The King James and other versions call these worldly predilections "the
lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. They are in direct opposition to a
Kingdom life and economy.
As you conduct business, remember who you are. Remember Whose you are. Constant
vigilance! Remember to put on Christ, like your favorite sweater. The one that makes you feel
hopeful. That makes you feel your best, that makes you feel 100%. He is our "robe of
righteousness." As you "wear" Jesus to the world, you'll find Him transforming you to look
exactly like Him, with rewards that only He can give you.
Father,
Most days I give more thought to which shoes I'll wear than I give to You and what "wearing"
You looks like. Your Word tells us to be vigilant, to guard our hearts, to be alert, and sober-
minded, not easily influenced or inebriated by the temporary success the world offers. Forgive
me for the times I'm more interested in me than in You. For the times that I forget the people
You bring to my business are created in the image of our Father. For the times I am seduced by
my own importance, confident in my work ethic as my source, or delight in the things money
can buy instead of the things of no amount of money can purchase. Give me kingdom vision
and raise my desire for Your presence. One day, Jesus, I'll see you as you really are, and I'll be
like you. Thank You for this truth. Help me wear You well and reveal You to the world through
my life and business. In His sweet name I pray, Amen.
Tomorrow, November 1st, is my birthday! I am not quite older than dirt, yet, but still young
enough to appreciate life on this side of the dirt. For my birthday, take a moment to leave a
review and a rating, so others can find Talk & Pray and be encouraged with the Word, and so I
know if the content is resonating with you. Also share the link with the women you know who
desire a Kingdom view of life and business. I'd love to see us grow together!
As always, you can find more information about the podcast such as transcripts of the show and
more about Talk & Pray courses, coaching, and speaking at Talk and Pray dot us. Or Talk and
Pray dot us slash podcast.
And speaking of growing together, if you are a businesswoman, or you run the business of your
household, I want to collaborate with you in a Mastermind experience launching in just a few
weeks. We're going deeper than "God as your business partner;" I've always been troubled by
that expression because so many times I've treated Him like a silent partner, or thought my
opinions had equal weight with His! Instead, we'll be looking at Christ's life lived out in our
businesses. I'm calling it "His Power at Work" based on Ephesians 3:14-21. If you are weary of
business the world's way, and want Biblical perspective on time, client acquisition, branding,
goal setting, cash flow, and technology, and more, this mastermind collaboration with like-
minded women might be for you! If you'd like to know more, go to
https://www.talkandpray.us/mastermind to get more details as this launch comes together!
