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The fishbowl is the equivalent of where life happens. That makes us the fish swimming around trying to make some relational sense out of each other, God and ourselves. People are checking watching us inside our bowl. They are pressing their faces against the fishbowl of life to see how well we are doing with this thing called life. It’s as though we’re on display in an aquarium people pay to visit. They line up to watch with fascination as we do life in the fishbowl. It’s a "See World" where we’re on display.

This hit home a couple weeks ago. I was on my way back from Nashville, having dropped off a vanload of my son’s "stuff" at college when an almost new tire blew out. Let me warn you, these kind of situations usually don’t bring out the calm, fun-loving qualities in me -- especially when my mechanical skills are required. Now I’m a card-carrying member of AAA, but "real" men don’t make the call unless the situation is desperate. So I decided to change the tire myself and prove my manhood to the population of Tennessee.

Have you noticed how spare tires are never in a convenient, easy to get to location? Once I got to the tire, I discovered that a gorilla must have put on the wing nut because it wouldn’t budge. I tried using all the sounds to release more adrenaline, but to no avail. It was just a stupid wing nut! My manhood took a serious hit especially when I called the 800-number. About 45 minutes later, Frank the AAA tow truck driver showed up. I was pleased, elated, thrilled, and ecstatic that it took him almost 10 minutes to get the wing nut off—and he had tools! All the time this was happening, Jean and my daughter Caroline were looking intently into my fishbowl to see my response. They both commented on how well I handled the situation -- which means that in the past I haven’t responded too well in those type situations. They were watching.

Rob Smitty was applauded for donating one of his kidneys to a stranger. It was a noble and generous sacrifice. But his 10-year-old daughter wasn't impressed. Amber said her father never comes to see her and never calls, not even on her birthday. "I don't think he's much of a hero," she said. Tennessee records show Smitty was nine months behind in his child support payments. Smitty’s life is out of sync. There are inconsistencies. Those on the outside see him as a hero. Those closest to him see him as a zero. He’s out of sync in his fishbowl.

Jesus exposed the religious leaders of his day when he said, Matthew 23:28 "You try to look like upright people outwardly, but inside your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness." Right now, be honest with yourself. What’s one inconsistency and what will you do about it?

2. Is my pride polluting my environment? Is my ego poisoning others in the fishbowl? Pride is the forerunner of all sins. IT drives us to want more stuff because we deserve it. Pride drives us to promote ourselves. Pride fuels our lusts. Pride keeps us from being open and honest. Pride drives us to enhance or boost our image.

1 Peter 5:5-6 says, God sets himself against the proud, but he shows favor to the humble. So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and in his good time he will honor you. I’m no theologian, but I’d rather be humble and experience God’s favor than be in a position where He has set himself against me. That’s a set up for a fish tank leak! Proverbs 11:2 says, Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.

Proverbs 10:9 notes, People with integrity have firm footing, but those who follow crooked paths will slip and fall.

You are faced with choices everyday. Will you stand on integrity or the slippery slope of compromise? People around you are pressing their faces against your fishbowl to see if you stand or slip. They are saying, "He claims to be Christ follower. Will he cheat on his expense account, time card, or school exam? Will she exaggerate to make the sale, lie to a friend, mislead the boss, or gossip about the neighbor? Do you slip into compromise, or do you stand on character? Proverbs 11:3 says, The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.

4. How am I processing relationships? Husbands and wives, how are you treating your spouse? Is it honoring to God? Parents, how are you treating your kids? Kids, how are you behaving toward your parents? You live in see world and people are watching your relational moves.

Do you treat others fairly? Do you treat others equally? How do you deal with those people who can do nothing for you? How do you deal with outsiders who may be different from you? You have never locked eyes with someone who doesn’t matter to God.

You may not like the idea that your life is on display, but living in a fishbowl is a good thing—not a bad thing. It has its advantages, even if everyone is watching. Because we can’t swim behind a rock and live life in the shadows, we are faced with accountability. God never intended Christianity to be a private, secret thing. It’s a public thing. The fishbowl challenges and helps us to live a life of substance and significance because we’re impacting others around us who are watching our moves.

So come out from the shadows. You don’t need to hide anymore. Come out and experience Jesus—the one with the scars on His hands and allow him to comfort and heal you. You don’t have to hide anymore. If you’ve been hiding in the shadows because of an out of sync lifestyle, or an integrity lapse, or an ego trip, or some relational bad move--why don’t you step out of the shadows and into the light of God’s love? There is health and healing in the light.