Seek God's Praise!
"For they loved the praise of
men more than the praise of God."
John 12: 43
When King Belshazzar hosted a drunken feast for a thousand
of his nobles and officials, using the sacred vessels from the
temple in Jerusalem, he
was no doubt praised and lauded by
those seeking to curry his favor.
But the praise of men can be a dangerous thing, especially
when it is preferred over praise from God. When tragedy or
judgment strikes, praise of men can't save or bestow mercy.
Same thing happened in Jesus’ day. The apostle John records
that among the religious rulers in Jerusalem “many believed in
Him.” But they would not confess their faith openly because of
the Pharisees, “lest they should be put out of the synagogue.”
In other words, “they loved the praise of men more than
the
praise of God” (John 12:42-43).
They considered it best to be secret believers, maintaining their
status among non-believers while secretly professing to believe
in Jesus. Perhaps they missed what Jesus said as recorded in
Matthew 10:32—He will confess before the Father those who
confess Him before men.
Don’t be afraid to live for Christ; don’t prefer
the praise of men over the praise of God.
"It is only the fear of God that
can deliver us from the fear of man."
John Witherspoon
