Hello precious loved one of God, I hope you’re fine by God’s grace and you’re ready to start your week in an awesome way.
As you’re starting this week I guess you’re going to have a lot of activities, probably working, studying, taking care of your family, volunteering in your church etc.
In general we have so many things to do that perhaps we don’t ask ourselves why we do it. Let’s give a few examples.
- Dads work hard everyday to give food, clothes and a shelter to their children, and in their hearts they hope that their children will think that they are good dads and to admire him.
- Moms put all their heart in taking care of the home because they want their family to feel happy, and somehow they want their husband and their kids to love them more.
- Children do their best in school because they want their parents to love them.
There’s nothing bad in wanting to please our spouse, our kids, our boss, our friends, our colleagues, our pastors from time to time. However, it becomes dangerous when we do what we do not with God being the center of all of it, but solely to get the praise and acknowledgement of others.
I love the way Lecrae says this.
“If you live for their acceptance you will die from their rejection”
-Lecrae
When you do things solely to be approved of by others, they may give you their approval for sometime but once they’ll stop acknowledging your efforts, you’ll feel horrible.
Our Lord Jesus Christ warned us about doing things for the sole purpose of having the admiration of others.
Matthew 6:1-6 NIV
“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. “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Matthew 6:16-18 NIV
“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
We’re in an era where everyone shares everything on social media. We know everything about our friends’ Bible plans, about when they volunteer at Church, about when they go to Church, about when they study etc.
In a certain sense I think it’s a very good thing to share pictures of you going to Church if the aim is to get a few of your friends to be curious about it and to come to church with you one of these days. I think it’s cute to share what you’ve learned from your Bible plan because it may help someone out.
The problem comes when you do these things so that people admire you, acknowledge you, and focus on you.
- “I served 10 hours this week as a volunteer in Church, look at how wonderful I am”
- “I picked of my kids from school, look at my pictures I’m the best dad ever”
- “I started fasting today, this is so hard but I know I’m so spiritual”
We don’t say these things out loud but at times this is what we think or what we’re trying to convince ourselves and others of when we publish what we’re doing.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t share but what’s in your heart when you’re sharing???
Doesn’t it feel void do things just to get other people’s acknowledgement?
Doesn’t it feel awful to live for your dad or your mom’s approval all your life and never get it?
It’s so hard to set standards on ourselves just for people. Mostly that we can live up to it for some time, but when we fail for a moment or for a season, we feel rejected and we give up.
The truth is, God has already approved of you, God is already acknowledging you, not because of what you did, not because of who you are but because He loves you, He has already chosen you and He gave the life of His Only Son on The Cross to save you from your sins.
If you put Christ at the center of your life and if you choose to live for Him, and not for the approval of others, you’ll receive peace, you’ll receive acceptance and this isn’t the type of acceptance which leaves when you messed up or didn’t live up to your standards. Even when you’ve messed up, God still loves you and is still ready to forgive and take you back and transform you.
You won’t live for God’s approval but you’ll live from God’s approval.
The fact that God ALREADY approves of you in Christ sets the pace for you to live in His love and freedom to be a wonderful spouse, an obedient kid, an engaged volunteer, a professional etc.
Prayer
Father Lord God Almighty, I confess that at times I do things to be acknowledged by people and to be approved of by them. I confess I didn’t put you at the center in those moments and I was focused on self and on others. Please Lord help me take that out of my heart and my habits and help me live in freedom knowing that in Christ Jesus You have already approved of me and I am already accepted by You, in Jesus Christ’s Name. Amen.
It’s Now Your Turn
When last did you find yourself doing things to get people’s approval? How did it go and how did you feel afterwards? Please let us know in the comments section.
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Thank you so much for reading
God bless you
Victoria Eyog
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