FOR THE APPROVAL OF ONE

Galatians 1:10 “Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

William Shakespeare wrote “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players…” Have you ever felt like you are on stage, the stage of life performing for the audience all around you? I have often felt the pressure and the pull of performing on life’s stage. I’m certain that you have also felt that pressure. -- “What do my coworkers think of my work performance? What do my classmates think of my academic skills? What does my church think about my Christian walk? From the world’s point of view, a good appearance- a good show is the only thing that matters. If we’re not careful, life morphs into a stage, every man and woman- the actors.

We can become addicted to approval. We can live from day to day allowing our emotions to swing based on what others think of us. We can spend our lives foolishly trying to please the crowd and live for the approval of man. There is a tyranny and bondage in living for man’s approval. Henry Swope said, “I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure which is: “Try to please everybody.”

Instead of living in bondage, craving the approval of everyone around us, the Bible calls us to live for the approval of one. Paul realized that it is impossible to fully please man and God at the same time. The Scriptures call us again and again not to live for the expectations of man, but for the satisfaction of God. We live for the applause of one. There is nothing better or more fulfilling to know that God says, “Well done thou good and faithful servant.” Can anything compare to having the smile of God’s approval?

We can talk about how important it is to please God rather than man. We can look at all the great heroes of the faith who lived and breathed for the approval of God alone. But where does that leave us? How do we live for God’s approval? Well, Christ instructed us all to love God with everything that we have. Wow – that seems like a lot, right?

Living for God and loving him wholeheartedly requires faith, obedience, and sacrifice. We must believe that he is. Enoch had enough faith in God that he was literally raptured into God’s presence. Noah had faith to build an ark for a coming flood. Abraham had faith to leave his own country to a land that God would show him. Jesus had faith enough to look beyond the cross and see the resurrection.

You see, all the approval that man can offer only lasts for a moment. As soon as the applause quiets down, we will be back to performing in an attempt to generate more approval. It is a constant rat race that ends in disappointment and pain. But when we fix our sights on living for the one true God that already has preferred us by sending his son to die in our place, we are sure to gain the fulfillment and peace of his approval.

Be encouraged today to live for the approval of one. He already loves you.