If Big Brother were watching us, we’d have plenty to worry about (I mean the real “Big Brother” from George Orwell’s “1984”, not the one on Channel 7!). Imagine having to carefully check every syllable coming out of our mouths to make sure it didn’t contradict the ruling class’ opinion!
The Bible does say that God our Father is always watching us (Ps 139:2,4,23). That’s why Paul urges us to do everything in every situation just as though we are doing it for the Lord (Eph 6:7,8). This is not primarily so that God knows if we muck up – although He does – but because God loves us and wants to know us intimately. He wants us to know Him the same.
The reason we know that this is true is that God’s Son, Jesus Christ, gave His life to pay for all our sin, cleanse and forgive us (Ephesians 5:25-28), making the closest relationship with God possible.
Because everything we do in life is before God’s very presence, that fills everything we do with infinite meaning and value. Whether we are doing education, work, leisure, relationships or anything, we do it in a way that expresses God’s truth and love, because we are in a relationship with Him now, that is going to last forever.
Therefore, we can love our parents and our children well; and we can treat our employees and our bosses well, and whatever we turn our hand to, do it to the best of our ability (Ephesians 6:1-9), rejoicing that our Good Father is watching us.
Grace upon grace, Jonathan.