Thursday, February 16
God’s approval
Scripture: Galatians 1
Galatians 1:10 Am I now trying to gain the approval of people, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ!
Observation
The Galatian Christians were deserting Jesus and the gospel of grace for “another gospel,” a distorted gospel that was contrary to the gospel Paul had proclaimed to them. Paul wrote this letter to correct them and bring them back to Jesus and his gospel. Paul says some harsh things and explains that he is not trying to win the approval of people but God. He is Christ’s slave, and so is not trying to please people.
Every Christian is the Lord’s willing slave (servant); therefore we live to please him above all else. We seek his approval rather than trying to please people. We live for an audience on One.
Application
Having grown up in an alcoholic home, I learned classic co-dependent behaviors: don’t rock the boat; don’t upset dad; at all costs, keep him happy. That carried over into my adult life as I became a people-pleaser. To this day, making others happy and being concerned about what they think of me are too important. I’ve gotten better…but it’s always there.
Freedom comes from being Christ’s slave! And no one else’s. I live to please Jesus, to gain his approval. He is the audience of One that I live for. So I can stop worrying about what everyone else thinks, and concern myself with what he thinks.
This comes back to my basic definition of a disciple: listen to Jesus, do what he says. Be with Jesus, be like Jesus. A disciple is an apprentice, and the only person an apprentice has to please is the master.
That’s how I want to live.
Prayer: Jesus, I love you and I want to follow you, do what you say, be like you and please you. I am your servant, your apprentice. Make me more like you. And help me today not to worry about what others may think of me…only you.