Praise

John 12:43

for they loved human praise more than praise from God.

Let that sit for a while.

for they loved human praise

• They loved Facebook comments

• They loved Tok-tok shares

• They loved Instagram likes

• They loved Twitter notoriety

• They loved their boss’ praise

• They loved their communities’ accolades

• They loved their friend’s admiration

• They loved their parents’ approval

More than praise from God.

And yes, we typically do love human praise.  It is immediate and boosts our ego.  Human praise is public, thus leading to more praise, the addiction to receiving human praise outweighing the desire for God’s praise.

How do we cure an addiction?  Remove the source from our lives.

I am not saying to remove your community, quit your job, become estranged from social media.  I am saying to remove the connection of human approval from your self-worth, which should be rooted in God. 

Start analyzing how you feel when you are compelled to check social media for response to your posts or comments, when you are compelled to stay longer at work for the sake of approval, soundcheck yourself.

• Do I like this praise more than God’s?

• Do the comments make me feel differently about myself?

• Am I seeking approval because I am feeling inadequate?

• Am I letting my convictions go to appease the mainstream?

When we are all in front of our maker, will human praise mean anything at all?