chapter 4 of my new unreleased book is titled “why the audience really came.”

people don’t gather because they want a flawless performance. they gather because they’re hoping to find a piece of themselves reflected in your story. they come with silent questions: does my life matter? am i the only one who feels this way? is there hope for me too?

when you stand on a stage, you’re not there to impress. you’re there to hold up a mirror. when you share your wounds honestly, someone in the back row feels less alone. when you tell the truth about your failures, someone breathes again because they’re not the only one. when you speak about God’s faithfulness, someone sees the possibility of redemption in their own life.

the audience came to see themselves, not your perfection. your vulnerability gives them permission to be human. your faith gives them courage to believe. your reflection gives them a glimpse of who they really are and who they could become.

jesus understood this. he didn’t just perform miracles to prove power—he revealed identity. when he healed the blind, it wasn’t just about sight; it was about the man finally seeing himself as whole. when he spoke to the woman at the well, it wasn’t about exposing her past; it was about showing her the reflection of a new future. people followed him because in his presence, they saw themselves more clearly.

when the audience leaves, they don’t carry you home. they carry the version of themselves they discovered in your reflection. they don’t remember every word, but they remember the feeling of being seen, known, loved.

this is why the stage matters. not because it makes you visible, but because it makes others visible to themselves. the question is not, did they see me? the question is, did they see themselves? the audience came for reflection. and that reflection only shines when you surrender the stage.

POLLY

may we never say yesterday was better.