What does it mean to live for an audience of one? Is it possible to live with God in mind all of the time? On our most recent episode of the Everyday Faith podcast, we heard from our friend Clay Geary, a senior analyst at True North and a former University of Minnesota football player turned Ironman enthusiast. He lives his life to serve, whether it’s business owners, helping them navigate big transitions, or discipling football players in the U of M locker room. You’ll be encouraged and challenged as you hear Clay’s story of how he learned to live each and every day for God.
Meeting God & Loving Sports
Clay’s story began in a Christian home, surrounded by prayer, the Bible, and Godly parents. While he doesn’t remember the exact moment he gave his life to Jesus, he remembers chasing after the Lord even from a young age. However, his relationship with God became even more real when he was in college.
God began softening Clay’s heart, showing him how even as an athlete, he could surrender his pride and selfish ambition. Clay received wisdom through mentors, staff members, and teammates who were involved in Athletes in Action. During this time, Clay learned how to combine faith and sports, pivoting from being an ally to God to becoming someone who lived for God.
As time went on, Clay grew deeper in his faith, chose to surrender to God, and learned how to live for an audience of one. His identity in God was strengthened, and he discovered how to follow Jesus, even when it hurts, through obedience to God.
Learn more about how surrender to God from a former professional football player: A Life Surrendered to Christ with NFL’s Ben Utecht
An Injury Changes Everything
“I would tear my ACL ten times over again just to experience that type of intimacy with God.” - Clay Geary
After surrendering fully to Jesus, Clay was sharing his faith, thriving in sports practice, and about to enter into the height of his career, when everything changed. During a routine drill at football practice, Clay tore his ACL. As he lay on the ground in severe pain, he wrestled with feelings of defeat and frustration. What had all this training been for? All of his hard work for the past six years felt like it had all been for nothing.
But then something incredible happened. God met Clay in a miraculous way, replacing his thoughts of anxiety and fear by bringing a sudden peace and contentment. The Bible even talks about this supernatural peace in the book of Philippians:
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:7
What the enemy meant for evil, God turned for good! Though it looked like God had shut a door, God opened doors for Clay that he had never imagined were possible. He met the CEO at his current company and started an internship with him, which eventually opened the door for a full-time position.
God can turn the worst of situations for good. Hear how God took a near-death experience and turned a former addict into an evangelist: Jesus Saved Me From Addiction
Everywhere is the Mission Field
As Clay graduated and started his career, God started showing him that everywhere he goes is the mission field. With this, Clay started living his life on a mission for God.
The workplace? The mission field.
Time at home with his family? The mission field.
The sauna at Lifetime Fitness? The mission field.
Talking with friends, especially those who don’t know God? The mission field.
Wherever you serve, wherever you love, and wherever you lead is a place for God to show up. Learn more about what it means to live each day for Jesus: How to Embrace Your Mission
As Clay has learned to live every day for God, he has so many stories of sharing his faith with those around him. One story began in the sauna at Lifetime Fitness. Clay simply started talking to this man and getting to know him. Through conversation, Clay discovered that he didn’t have a relationship with God, but that he was highly spiritual and intrigued by spiritual things. The two started talking about the idea of truth and whether there are ultimate truths. The man in the sauna explained to Clay that he believed he needed to earn his own peace of mind, rather than receive it from God.
The two talked for almost an hour in the sauna. At the end of the conversation, Clay shared the Gospel with him. While this man hasn’t received Jesus yet, Clay continues to invite him to Church and share the love of Jesus with him.
As Christians, there is an urgency to share Jesus in our conversations and to show others the goodness of God. Learn more about how to share the Gospel in any conversation: How to Cultivate a Lifestyle of Evangelism
Seeing Work as Worship
Over the years, Clay has discovered that the workplace can be a place of worship. If you work for a paycheck, you’re working for money. But if you work unto God, then you’re worshipping God through your work. By living each day on mission and staying in a place of prayer, Clay chooses to make his work an act of worship! The essay “Why Work” by Dorothy Sayers greatly impacted his perspective on work, worship, and how to bring God into every area of his life.
Hear more stories about how God can show up at work with our chiropractor friend, Jeff May: Stories of Fearless Faith
Bible Studies & Discipleship at the U of M
Even though Clay graduated from the University of Minnesota years ago, God hasn’t released him from serving there. God has continually called Clay back to the U of M to lead discipleship groups for the men in athletics who are hungry for God.
Clay leads his discipleship group by studying the whole story of the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, showing how God is faithful in every season, from the beginning to the end! Clay also shared his personal story of releasing control to God and explaining to the athletes how to play sports from a place of victory, instead of a place of striving. As Clay shares the good news of Jesus with his Bible study group, the athletes then take the Gospel and what they’ve learned about God to the locker room, their dorms, and, of course, to game day.
Jesus taught his followers to be disciples who make disciples. If you’ve never given your life to Jesus, there’s no better time than now to surrender to Him! Learn more about Jesus, how much He loves you, and how you can live for Him: This is For You!
Bible Verses About Living for An Audience of One
Bible verses about living for an audience of one are encouraging and challenging at the same time. These scriptures about devotion to God are powerful and personal. Here are some of are favorite bible verses about living for an audience of one:
"Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. - Matthew 6:1-4
This Bible verse on living for an audience of one comes from Jesus’ most famous teaching: The Sermon on the Mount. In this passage of scripture, Jesus invites his followers to be peacemakers, to be pure in heart, and to hunger and thirst for righteousness. The Sermon on the Mount is full of bible verses on living for an audience of one. Jesus says to love your enemies, to pray for those who persecute you, and not to worry about your life! Take some time this week to read all of Jesus’ teachings that encourage living for an audience of one.
Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ. - Galatians 1:10
Bible verses on living for an audience of one always point back to the fear of God rather than the fear of man. As Christians, we’re not trying to win the approval of our friends, family, or coworkers, we’re trying to honor God with our lives. Rather than trying to please people, do your best to please God.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. - Colossians 3:23-24
This Bible verse on living for an audience of one combines the idea of work as worship and the idea of the fear of the Lord into one. Whatever you do, whether you're a stay-at-home mom, a full-time worker, a student, or an athlete, live each day for God!
Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. - 2 Corinthians 3:5-6
Whether it's fear, worry, or doubt, sometimes we wrestle with whether we're good enough. When we do that, then comparison sets in. However, this Bible verse on living for an audience of one is inviting us to find our competency in God. Because of Jesus, we've been made ministers of the new covenant, filled with life by the Spirit.
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. - 1 Peter 4:10
How can we steward God's grace? By using our gifts to serve others. This Bible verse on living for an audience of one reminds us of the one we're living for -- Jesus. Jesus lived each day serving others. Whether it was a word of encouragement, a miraculous healing, or a sermon, Jesus used the gifts God gave him to serve others. Living for an audience of one is simple: follow the ways of Jesus and do your best to become more like Him.
How to Live on Mission
As we finished our conversation with Clay, he shared some tips with our audience on how to embrace your mission and live each day for God.
1. Be Intentional with the People You See On a Daily Basis: As Christians, we can’t just slide through life and live for ourselves. We have a responsibility to tell others about the goodness of God and follow Jesus’ command to make disciples. No matter where you are in your faith, you have a profound impact on those around you.
Start today by learning how to share your faith story with others. Read our blog: 7 Questions to Help You Share Your Faith With Others
2. Ask God to Break Your Heart for What Breaks His: A simple (and dangerous!) prayer to embrace your mission each day is to pray…
“God, break my heart. I want to be broken over what you’re broken about. I want to care about what you care about. Help me to see those around me and to share your love with everyone I meet. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Learn more about the power of prayer: 8 Ways to Pray Throughout the Day
3. Be Poor & Weak in Spirit: It may sound counter intuitive, but these words are actually the words of Jesus! In the book of Matthew in the Sermon on the Mount, He said:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."- Matthew 5:3-4
But…what does it mean to be poor in spirit? The simple answer is acknowledging that we have need of God. To be poor in spirit is to be the opposite of self-sufficient or self-reliant spiritually. When we give all we have to God, we can receive all that He has for us. So many good things come from pouring ourselves out before God and then letting Christ fill you!
Conclusion
Clay Geary’s story is a powerful reminder that when we choose to live for an audience of One, everything changes — our work, our relationships, our struggles, and our purpose. Whether you’re in a locker room, a boardroom, or your living room, God invites you to live on mission, walk in obedience, and trust Him with the outcome. Living for Jesus isn’t about perfection—it’s about daily surrender.
We hope Clay’s journey has inspired you to boldly live out your faith. For more content to fuel your faith, explore our other posts on discipleship, evangelism, prayer, and how to live on mission:
Start With Belief
Embrace Your Mission
Commit to Obedience
Pursue Community
How to Have Faith in the Fire
