Cafeteria Christianity: Approval — Friday
John 12:43
…for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God. (ESV)
A question all of us were asked as kids, and probably have asked other kids, is: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” In my earliest years, all the other little boys would respond with altruistic answers like policeman, doctor, and firefighter. I, on the other hand, wanted to be an entertainer—an actor or a comedian. What can I say? I was a middle child with severe ADHD—I craved attention and acceptance.
In the book Victory Over The Darkness, Neil T. Anderson discusses how God placed within all of us the need to feel significant, safe, and accepted. As His creation, these needs are met when we have a relationship with God. However, we are often tempted to fulfill these needs through a relationship with the world. We replace our desire for God’s acceptance with a desire for man’s acceptance. In our brokenness and our sinful nature, we seek popularity over purpose, and we compromise ourselves for the world. But as the famed lyricist Lecrae once said, “If you live for people’s acceptance, you will die from their rejection.”
As Christians, we are called to pick up our cross and follow Jesus (Matthew 16:24-27), even at the risk of our own popularity. As we’ve talked about this week, the gospel message is inherently offensive to the world. It puts purpose in loving God and serving others, not in the admiration of self. “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45, NIV).
In John 15:18-20, Jesus shared some tough truth with His disciples that still applies to us today: “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first… If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.” In following Jesus, not only must we surrender any desires we have for popularity and acceptance, but we may even have to endure some form of persecution as a result of our faith.
Persecution for the gospel is not easy, but remember Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:11-12: “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven…” No matter what kind of rejection or persecution we may face for following Jesus, we have a great reward in store—one that is far better than anything man could ever offer us.
Friday’s Reflection
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others” (Philippians 2:3-4). Do you seek popularity and the admiration of others, or do you live with the purpose of loving God and loving others by serving them?