“Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God?  Or am I trying to please people?  If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ. (Galatians 1:10 NIV)

When we accept Jesus as our Lord, we accept His way of life and His teachings.  We commit to serving Him, and a new way of living.  Our old ways are to fade and be replaced by the teachings of our Lord.  

The Apostle Paul is explaining this to the church of Galatia.  He explains that our goal is to obey God; not to win the praise of others.  We are to be free of people-pleasing, getting others’ approval and acknowledgement.  Paul tells the church before he met Jesus, He chased after human status and approval. His identity shifted to honoring God, instead of being praised by others.

Things we try to get approval of: How did I do? How do I look?  How does my hair look?  What do you think of the job I have been doing?  What do you think of my new furniture?  What do you think of the project I have completed?  How does the house look, I just cleaned it?  What do you think of the food?  Do I look pretty, today?  Can you see the weight I have lost?  It is trying to get validation from your friends, spouse, children, parents, co-workers?  And on and on it goes.  We seek the approval of others.  

What this scripture is telling us is that the most important approval we can seek, is God’s approval.  We receive God’s approval not because of what we have done, but because of what Jesus did.  It is in the striving to love our God with all our heart, mind, soul, and spirit that we find approval.  Because the more we understand God’s love the less we need human approval.  And the way we understand God’s love is through our relationship with Him.

Sure, we all want human approval.  But when we are centered in God’s love, even if we do not have the approval of others, we can stand firm in God love.  Thus, our mission is to do all things with the desire to win God’s approval, not humans.  It is something to think about.  Whose approval do you want?  God Bless. Amen.

denise