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And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever.
-John 14:16
On a recent visit to see my niece and nephews, my mother brought some small gifts, including a toy that launched little whirlybirds in the air. My niece loved retrieving the small disc each time it landed. The first time, she brought it back in her mouth. Her nana explained it was dirty outside and she was not allowed to put it in her mouth. She nodded. And came back again with it in her mouth. Nana explained the rule again. A third and fourth time, she returned with it in her mouth. Nana said, “if you keep doing this, we can’t play with this toy any more. It’s a rule.” This time, she brought it back in her hand. Nana ask, “Did you put it in your mouth?” Innocently, she replied, “Not when you were looking.”
Oh how much we are like my young niece, even as adults. When no one is looking, the accountability is gone. As followers of Christ, we are promised not only the accountability of our fallible faith family, but the omnipresent Holy Spirit. And in this passage we are reminded that the Holy Spirit is not categorized as a warden or guard tower, an all-seeing, all-watching eye, or hall monitor. No, Jesus indicates the Spirit is an advocate. What good news for us. God, who could be eternally watchful, playing constable, judge, and executioner, instead chooses to send us the only member of the justice system there to take our side, aid our cause, defend us, and restore us to the community.
It speaks volumes that the final words from Jesus are not that he’s headed to heaven to watch our every move, but that he’s going to prepare a place for us and send us this advocate. This is Jesus saying, “I know it’ll be so hard that you’ll need help, and I’m sending it. But I know that with this new helper, you’ll be able to walk in my way. So I’m going home to get it ready for your arrival.” This should comfort us, and should inspire us to rise to the challenge. It’s tempting to only follow Jesus when someone else is watching. But we Christians are called to live our whole lives for God, leaning on the Spirit for help. So one day when the Lord asks if we did what he taught us, we can say proudly, “Even when you weren’t looking.”
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