Recognition

“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

As we have discussed previously, temptation can come in many forms.

Another common trap we can fall into that the enemy sets for us is recognition.

The need to be fawned over when you have done something others appreciate.

How different this is from the example that Jesus gave us over and over.

He would often heal someone and then command them to tell no one.

He was not a man in search of other men’s recognition.

His desire was to please, and do, the will of His Father.

In many ways, His was a stealth or covert ministry.

It wasn’t until the appointed time – the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem – that He allowed others to recognize that He truly was a King.

We can go out of our way – and quite literally out of ‘the way’ God has set for us in our search for recognition.

‘It’ rather than Him can become our consuming focus.

When that happens we are caught in the enemies trap.

You see, more and more we will seek the recognition of man over the recognition of the Lord.

Set your heart to seek God’s recognition.

Let it be your desire to catch His eye and not the eyes, or the applause, of man.