“Your approval or disapproval means nothing to me, because I know you don’t have God’s love within you.”
— John 5:41 – 42 (NLT)
Jesus was often criticized, but the approval of people meant nothing to him. His unwavering confidence in God’s approval set him free from human opinion. It can also free you from the trap of “people pleasing.”
Nicole’s youth group at church was having a lock-in Friday night. Nicole had a starring role in the evening’s opening skit, and she looked forward to it. That is, until Kaylie invited her to a skating party for the same night. Kaylie was the most popular girl in Nicole’s grade and rarely spoke to Nicole. Now she’d been invited to a party with Kaylie’s friends! Nicole desperately wanted to go. What would Kaylie think of her if she turned down a party invitation to go to church?
Jesus had some hard words of warning on this subject: “No wonder you can’t believe! For you gladly honor each other, but you don’t care about the honor that comes from God alone” (John 5:44 NLT). If you live to earn the rewards that come from pleasing people, you create a trap for yourself. If, instead, you concentrate on receiving God’s approval, you can live free from the trap of human opinion.
More to Explore: 1 Thessalonians 2:6
Girl Talk: When you have to make a decision, whose approval matters the most to you? Your own? A friend’s? Your parents’? God’s?
God Talk: “Lord, help me look to you for my approval. If my actions and attitudes please you, that’s all that matters. Amen.”
From Chick Chat by Kristi Holl