Blind Worship

In my Theory of Knowledge class, we were learning about Asch Experiment. Now many of us don't have a clue what I'm talking about. To sum it up, Asch conducted this experiment to see if people would conform to the majority in a group. To do this he had one test subject in a group of eight people. He would ask the group a question, and seven of the eight participants would agree on a wrong answer, because they were told to. Asch found that 75% of the test subjects he tested conformed to the group with the wrong answer. When the test subjects were asked later why they chose their answers, some said that they had a fear of being ridiculed if they stuck out.

Now lets take this experiment to our churches during worship time. If a stranger were to walk in during worship, they would probably see everyone doing the same thing. Why? Many of us are afraid of sticking out and being ridiculed. If we fit in then there is nothing to be afraid of. But worship isn't about fitting in. Psalms 95:6 says, "Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker" God made us, he protects us, and if you are worried about what the person next to will think of you, then you aren't truly worshiping God. One of my favorite verses is Matthew 15:7-8which says, "You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.'" You may know all the lyrics of a song and you may be the loudest person in the room, but if your heart isn't in the right place, then your worship is useless. Every time you sing a song of worship, but your heart isn't into it, then you are being a hypocrite. Sure other people aren't going to be able to tell where your heart is, but the Lord knows. If you are singing a song, but in your heart you are more worried about fitting in, you aren't worshiping. We have turned worship into something that is a part of the Sunday routine that we don't even think about anymore. 

I liked what my church did one time during worship. They gave each of us a blindfold to cover our eyes. Then we continued with worship. It was a neat experience, because we didn't have to worry what other people thought about us because we couldn't see them. We were forced to listen to the words of the songs, and listen to God, because our hearts were finally in the right place, we stopped trying to fit in, and we finally let go of everything. We were ourselves in the presence of God. That is an experience to treasure. Now at regular worship, you don't have to wear a blindfold every time, but if you just close your eyes you can get the same effect. With you eyes close, you can't see all the people who are thinking you stand out. You are just being yourself in front of God. And that can mean a lot of things. Maybe you raise your hands during worship, or you fall face down on the floor during worship. What ever it may look like for you, you are truly worshiping God. Don't be a part of the 75% of the people who conform to the group, but be the 25% of the group who will stick out, and who are truly being themselves.