There was a lot of negative history with my mom and I’m not going to get into it right now, but suffice it to say I’m still waiting to hear her say one positive thing about me to my face. If she ever said one in the past, I don’t remember, and though I know she loves me in the only way she knows how, I am still waiting. Really, I didn’t even think about it until today, but there is a part of me still waiting for her to praise me in some way.
Why do we want to be praised by man? What is it inside of us that ‘calls’ for recognition, admiration, an exalted reputation for wisdom, spirituality, loving behaviour or a million other things? Does what others think of us really matter? Usually- if we are honest. I don’t think it is necessarily bad to want praise, but it is wrong to behave certain ways to get that praise. In Jesus’ day, the Pharisees were a group known for following the laws of God to the letter, fastidious prayer, strict holiness and such, but Jesus said they were hypocrites (Mt. 23:13) more than once. He also said:
For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. Jh. 12:43 KJV
(praise, glory, dignity, honour)
The Pharisees cared more about what man thought of them than what God thought of them. On the outside they looked clean, but on their insides they were corrupt. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which indeed appear beautiful outside, but inside they are full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so you also appear righteous to men outwardly, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.” (Mt. 23:27,28) That’s pretty harsh if you ask me, but I guess they deserve it for being so hypocritical…
Oh, wait… I’m that way sometimes too L
We can all focus too much on acting the right ways, but miss out on the point of the Word God gave us- a relationship with Him; so we go to church, pray our half an hour, read so long, volunteer this many hours, etc, but we don’t ask what He wants us to do or listen to what He wants to say to us. We become so consumed with His rules we miss the relationship. We replace His love with His law. Ultimately, we end up missing God Himself. If we are honest, are we not like the Pharisees, more concerned for the praises of man than wondering what God thinks of our hearts and lives?
I wonder…
Just what does God think of me?