SEEKING APPROVAL

Paul, an apostle, asks a difficult question that we each must deal with. “Am I now seeking the approval of man, 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.” This is a tough one. We all like to think we are only interested in pleasing God and the opinion of people does not matter to us. That is rarely the case.

It breaks down when it is not either/or… but both. I want to please God and I want to make sure that people know that I am pleasing God. I may self-promote and self-announce all the pleasing things I assume I am doing for God… all the while fooling myself into believing that it does not interest me what others may think. Truth is… we want others to “know how holy we think we are.” Exampled by another Paul quote, “when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding.” As we seek approval it will most likely be by comparing ourselves to others and not to Jesus.

“You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!” Jesus