Avoiding God’s searchlight?

Lord,” Peter asked, “are you telling this parable to us or to everyone?” (Luke 12:41)

I found Peter’s words very jarring.

Here’s Jesus talking about the necessity of being faithful and always ready for his return, and Peter asks this asinine question.

I don’t know if he was trying to deflect the impact of Jesus’ words off of himself and on to others or not, but it does seem to have been his habit. (John 21:21)

Yet I often find myself doing the same kind of thing when hearing messages on Sunday or reading God’s word. Instead of letting God’s searchlight touch my own heart, I think, “I hope so-and-so is listening.” Or “So-and-so needs to hear that.”

I don’t want to be that way. I want to let God’s searchlight shine on my heart, knowing that he doesn’t want to scorch me, but to purge the hypocrisy and other sinful attitudes from my heart so that I can be more like the One I love.

Father, I welcome your searchlight in my life. Search me and know my heart.