Love the praise of God
For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. John 12:43
Whose praise are you living for? Who are you thinking about when you do the things you do. Who is it that you are trying to please when you make decisions each day. Is it people that have authority over you like your boss or some influential person you know? Or maybe it is your spouse or even your children? For many people it is self that is most important. Looking out for #1 is the motto that many people live by.
There were many people who followed and believed in Jesus when He lived in this world. Some were disciples, some just wanted to see what was going to happen next. Then there were the leaders of the synagogue, and the scripture says that many of those believed, but they did not want anyone to know because they would lose their position and their job.
It takes a very serious follower to regard pleasing God over what man will say and do. To hold God’s over any earthly power even to the point of being let go from a place of security. To turn away from the old way of living and the motive of personal gain is rarely the first consideration for most people. The passage in Isaiah is quoted in today’s reading that the people of Jesus time would have their eyes blinded, and their hearts hardened so they could not see or understand and repent.
This is still going on today. Many still are spiritually blind with hard hearts, but it doesn’t have to be that way. You can decide today that the most important thing is how you finish your race. The course set before you can be run in such a way that you receive God’s honor and God’s praise. You can shift your priority from being recognized and glorified by people to the point that your heavenly Father will say to you “well done.” The key is in your focus. If you set your sights on things above, the plan and call for your life here in this world, you will not even notice who is watching around you. Instead, you will have a heart that is running after God’s grace and goodness to share with others. Your eyes and focus will be fixed on pleasing Him. Turning your attention to God’s will and laying down your own agenda will give you a supernatural love for those around you. When that happens, you will no longer be concerned with the praise of people, you will only care about getting that hurting soul to Jesus and bringing all the praise, honor and glory to Him.
Today I want to encourage you to soften your heart to the things and people He is calling you to. Decide that the most important thing in this short life is to complete you mission in this world so that you can hear Him say “Well done” when you are finish. Make the praise of God on your daily activities the number one priority for each day and make the choice to love the people around you more than making yourself of most importance. This life is very short. Even if you live 100 years, it will still be over in the blink of an eye. Make the decision today to make every minute count for eternity. Every step you take in this life can be an investment in your forever or it can also be a vapor that will fade away in the passing of time. The choice is up to you.
Today’s scripture reading: John 12:37-43
37 But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him,
38 that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke: “Lord, who has believed our report? and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”
39 Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again:
40 “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, lest they should see with their eyes, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.”
41 These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him.
42 Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue;
43 for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
The Daily Dose 