Over the last several years two-factor authentication has become common place no matter what kind of account you have. It is no longer good enough to remember the correct password to your account, which some people like myself really struggle doing. You also need to have access to whatever method you have set up for two-factor authentication so that you can enter an additional security code that usually only works half of the time. While I understand the need for this due to account security and have actually benefited from two-factor authentication ocassionally when I have been locked out of my account, I still get pretty frustrated having to enter an additonal code to access my account. Afterall, it is my account. Why should I have to jump through hoops to prove who I am?
When we look into scripture we see people asking God to prove who He was over and over again. While it was never appropriate to take that too far and be disrespectful, God genuinely tried to help honest seekers know who He truly was. Take for instance in Exodus 3 and 4 when Moses is called to deliver Israel from Egypt. Moses wanted some type of proof from God to go along with him as he went back to Egypt. God gave Moses signs and told Moses to tell the people that I AM had sent him. In Judges 6 Gideon repeatedly asked God for signs to prove that He was God. Not only did God grant the numerous requests of Gideon, but then when Gideon gathered a large army to fight against the Midianites and the Amalekites God showed Gideon and everybody else that He was God and used just three hundred men to defeat a mighty army. Once again, in John 20:24-29, when the one we refer to as “Doubting Thomas” wanted to see and touch the wounds of Jesus following His resurrection, we see Jesus bringing Thomas close to Him and giving Thomas the proof that He needed.
God has been proving Himself since the beginning of time. Not only in the few accounts that we referenced, but also by everything He has ever said or done. In fact, according to Romans 1:20 the “invisible attributes” of God have been clearly seen by the world since the beginning of time. We have no reason to question Him, and we are definitely without excuse.
My question I have today is not about God, it is about us. What about our two-factor authentication? Who are we proving ourselves to be? It is easy to say we are living right, but where is the proof? In Matthew 7:21 we read, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” Are we doing the will of God? Are we showing our faith by our works (James 2:14-26)?
I understand that two-factor authentication might be a little frustrating when trying to access our accounts, but when we prove oursevles as Christians it glorifies God, demonstrates our faithfulness, and impacts the entire world. Don’t get frustrated with two-factor authentication, just continue to let your Christian light shine (Matthew 5:16).
Derek Broome