There are people who value the praise and validation of people to such an extent that they end up compromising their relationship with God. They love the praise of men more than the praise of God. This world has many cares and pleasures, and if we are not careful, it is very easy to get carried away.
At times we can get so immersed in the pursuit of things of this world to the extent that we forget to prioritize our relationship with God.
Pursuing to grow in our careers, pursuing better relationships, and pursuing to grow in life in general is good, but it should never come above God in our lives. Anything or anyone we place above God becomes an idol. The moment we start pursuing anything or anyone else more than God, we are automatically saying that that thing or that person is more important to us than God; may it never be so with us.
But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: for men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 2 Timothy 3:1-5.
Pursuit of money, fame, people’s acceptance and validation, and such like have sadly taken many captive. Some people who started off well in their Christian walk have fallen off along the way. Many have entangled themselves with the cares, trends, and pleasures of this world and have ended up compromising.
There are many who would rather be right with people than with God. They love the praise of men more than the praise of God.
Many have sadly traded eternal life with the fleeting things of this world; this is not worth it. Nothing in the world can compare to the value of a human soul. Many people take the reality of eternal condemnation casually, and some do not even believe that hell exists. Sadly, if they die in their unrepentant state, they will come to find out the hard way that everything written in God’s Word is true.
But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves with many sorrows. 1 Timothy 6:9-10.
We all fall short time and time again. When we do, we should be willing to humbly repent before God and confess our sins, and when we do that, we are assured that God will forgive us in Christ Jesus our Lord. The Bible says that if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
However, for some people, pride takes root in their hearts and they harden their hearts. When they fall short and sin, they are not willing to humble themselves and seek forgiveness; some see that as being weak, and allow their pride to take them down the destructive path.
There are people who become haughty and arrogant and try to maintain a positive image before people, instead of repenting. Such would rather be praised by men and maintain their superficial positive image, but at the expense of their relationship with God; woe unto those who choose that destructive path. They love the praise of men more than the praise of God.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart – these, O God, You will not despise. Psalm 51:17.
Many people will praise you today but tomorrow they will be talking about you behind your back. Many will be for you today but tomorrow they will be against you. Human beings have a fallen and sinful nature, and the moment we start living off the praises of people, that is the moment when we start going downhill.
When pride takes root in a person’s heart, that is the beginning of downfall.
Many will praise you as long as they benefit from you in some way, but the moment they realize that you are no longer beneficial to them, they will act like they have never even known you. Getting validation from people is a slippery road to travel with a surety of downfall. That is like building a house on sandy ground, and when the storms of life blow, you can be sure that house will fall down.
Thus says the Lord: Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the Lord. For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see when good comes, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land which is not inhabited. Jeremiah 17:5-6.
Your life should not be lived for people’s approval. You cannot please people no matter how hard you try. Some will be offended by you even after you have done your best to please them. Sacrificing your faith in order to be right with people is a very unwise decision to make.
Protecting your own image and public opinion at the expense of your walk with God is sure to cause regret and pain.
There is nothing and no one more important in this life than Jesus Christ. God should be your everything, for when you have God, you really do have everything, but without God, no matter how prosperous you become in this life, in the end, you will lose everything, including your life.
For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ. Galatians 1:10.
Live your life for the honor and glory of God. It is better to be rejected by people but be right with God. It is better to appear weak before men but be accepted by God. It is better to lose everything that the world has to offer, but gain God and eternal life.
Seek to please God only. Put your faith and trust in God alone. Fix your eyes firmly on Jesus Christ. Never compromise for anything or anyone in this world, and do not conform to the patterns of this world.
Do not allow pride to take root in your heart; remain humble, teachable, and willing to take correction and instruction that is in alignment with the Word of God. Do not be like the world; they love the praise of men more than the praise of God. Never elevate human approval, validation, acceptance, and opinions of people above God; such mean nothing if eventually a person loses their soul in hell.
If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. John 15:18-19.
Do not love the praises of people more than the praise of God. We are living in evil days. There are many people who have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof, and many who appear godly on the outside but they do not know Jesus Christ.
Do not lust after the world and its things, for that has led many to destruction. Do not allow pride to take root in your heart; that makes a person elevate themselves and become unwilling to take correction and instruction. Do not walk the destructive path of seeking the praise and validation of people, because in the process, you will end up compromising your relationship with God.
May we all set our priorities right, and realize that God is more important than anything this world has to offer.
May we be people who humble ourselves before the Lord, repent when we sin, ask for forgiveness when we hurt people, acknowledge our shortcomings, and pursue peace with everyone as much as it depends on us. Let us seek to please God above all else.
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. 1 John 2:15-17.
Blessings.
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