Undercover Boss
A few months ago Melanie and I had a rare Friday night at home. So we did some channel surfing ran across a marathon of a show I hardly ever see but really enjoy, Undercover Boss. You probably know the show but for some who might not the CEO or owner dons a disguise and shows up at various franchise locations as a new employee in training. He or she will take in and see how the company is doing at the grass roots. The big boss doing menial jobs, cooking burgers, working the assembly line, stocking the shelves, working the cash registers. In the process s/he learns of weaknesses, hears of better ways of doing things, sometimes finds bad hires, but mostly a super successful and hyper-rich person connects with common people. And, my favorite moment is when the big boss calls the folks they’ve met in under some guise and reveals who they really are and what they’ve been up to and then the guy/gal who has the power to make something happen in this person’s life - does. Your child is going to get that surgery, I’m going to buy you a house, your family is going to go on a vacation, I’m going to give you that big break. When it’s over, let me just confess, I’m a mess! My heart is touched and the tears flow freely.
Our God is like that! He’s the “undercover God.” He put on a disguise (took on the form of a man) and came a dwelt (John 1:14, “took up residence,” LEB. “made his home among us,” NLT. “tabernacled among us,” TLV). And the Father sang His praises (Matthew 3:17) and the Spirit breathed this beauty, “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). The most wealthy, exalted ONE came to our local shop not just to observe but to partner (1 Corinthians 3:9). “…though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor…” (2 Corinthians 8:9).
But that’s not all. He didn’t just head back to heaven to sit and tittle His celestial thumbs. He still shows up. He’s still undercover. You may have encounter Him today. In that hungry beggar, that hurting neighbor, that wondering struggler, that confused classmate, the worried co-worker.
At least that’s what He said. “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers,[a] you did it to me.’ Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life” (Matthew 25:31-46).
But my favorite moment hasn’t come yet. It’s when he willcall His folks in and reveal Himself and then the one who has the power to make it happen - will. Your tears will all be wiped away, your pain will cease, your child is going to be whole, I’m going to give you a Place like none other - in fact just move in with Me. Just thinking about it, I’m a mess! My heart is touched and the tears flow freely.