Approval … whose?

Approval … whose?  2 Timothy 2.15

You see it everywhere, and it is always somewhat painful to watch—those who are lost in the approval-seeking game.  Perhaps it is most apparent in groups of teen-aged young people.  A 15-year-old cracks a joke, and looks over his shoulder to make sure his buddies heard him and are laughing; a pretty young girl walks into a full room wearing the latest-style skirt with the sheer bottom and really short underskirt, cropped top that shows her flat tummy, and she fairly preens as she feels the eyes of her favorite guys looking her over … she looks back, ‘do they approve?  Do they think I look hot?’ Sad, but oh so true. In some cases, for some people, they do not move too far from the approval-seeking game.

I admit I am often guilty.  Teaching a weekly Bible study to a large group of women, I am aware that many take in everything about my appearance – and I am guilty of wanting their approval.  Happens when I conduct a funeral too—do I look conservative enough?  When I teach young people, I want to look just trendy enough without trying to look like them—yeah, I feel like the outer package sometimes gains the attention of my message or hampers it.  Outward appearances – just one aspect of the approval-seeking game.

But as a Christian teacher and communicator, of course most importantly, I want to be approved by God, as I prayerfully and diligently endeavor to teach the Word of God in its purity, and in its truth. And my message?  Yes, of course, it must be approved by God, as there is nothing more important than people seeing and hearing from the God who loves them and wants to be in relationship with them now and forever. 

Paul wrote to Timothy about the all-important aspect of living a godly life, especially wearing the shoes of pastor and leader:

Make every effort to give yourself to God as the kind of person he will approve. Be a worker who is not ashamed and who uses the true teaching in the right way. 2 Timothy 2.15, ncv

It seems that we must settle the matter – look to live our lives for the approval of God – or regularly be influenced by looking for the approval of people around us.  It seems though that if we seek the approval ‘of men’ we are looking to satisfy ourselves and our own egos, as we think more of how it all feels to us and our flesh, rather than how our lives—decisions and choices, words and behavior—suit or honor God, who Is bigger than our time and space, and way beyond our present circumstances. 

Writing to the Romans, Paul addressed the heart of the matter:  “But if God himself has taken up residence in your life, you can hardly be thinking more of yourself than of him. Anyone, of course, who has not welcomed this invisible but clearly present God, the Spirit of Christ, won't know what we're talking about. But for you who welcome him, in whom he dwells—even though you still experience all the limitations of sin—you yourself experience life on God's terms. ”  Romans 8.9-10

Since I work closely with so many people—men, women and high school young people too—I am keenly aware that we are all driven by the approval of people around us.  But there is no one’s approval who matters more than that of our Lord and Savior.  Let’s live for his approval, shall we?  Let’s look to live for the audience of one.

Christine

PastorWoman.com