“Karen’s Notes!
Insights from a Glory-Bound Lady”

Selected Notes
Volume 9 Number 14 “Even if No One is Watching!”
April 8th, 2026 Post # 415

Karen was a detail-conscious person. You might not know this, but she loved and excelled in Latin, Greek and even the higher mathematics. She loved languages and math because as she put it, “You have to consistently remember the steps and faithfully do them in order to come to the right conclusion.” I heard this more than one time as she was helping our children with math. (I helped with Bible, history and writing, but surely not math!)

This same discernment and love for consistently following the steps without taking short cuts actually showed up in her conference teaching notes more than once.

She was speaking at a ladies’ retreat in which she shared several thoughts about this subject based on Philippians 1:27 which states, “Only let your conversation” (manner of living) “be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.”

At one of her conferences, one tiny part of a major point she was making had to do with consistency and taking no short cuts even if no one was watching. Every believer ought to be able to say, “I seek to do the following consistently.”

Karen wrote: I need to be consistent in actions based on Philippians 1:27. Even if no one is watching, I am punctual so as not to disrupt others. I always seek to obey the speed limit. I always tithe cheerfully what belongs to God. I return miscounted change to the cashier. I am faithful in church attendance. I am in God’s Word daily.

Michael’s observation: Some would argue that these matters are just little things. “Don’t be legalistic,” others would declare. Karen wasn’t legalistic. She did, however, believe that even areas that others would not see would be important to the Lord and to her as well. I think that’s very good counsel for us. She closed out this ladies’ retreat (and this is good for men as well) with a Scripture verse I didn’t remember. To be honest, I had to look it up. She used 1 Samuel 2:3, “For the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by Him actions are weighed.”

I am encouraged, convicted, and reminded to live for the Lord even if no one is watching me. No short cuts! How about you?