Our Desire To Be Known As "Great"

Our Desire To Be Known As "Great"
The human thirst for honor, applause, accolades, and awards is somewhat strong
in some, but very strong in most. Is this a good thirst? If one looks to the world
system, yes. But what does God say? Could God possibly disagree with the standard
of the world system? Isn't it important to know how He weighs in on this human thirst?
I think most of us would agree that our Creator is pretty well qualified to speak to us
about such matters. Any person seeking the answers to these questions can easily find out
what God's thoughts are as they are clearly revealed in scripture.
So what is this human thirst anyway?
A fairly careful study of the Bible has brought me to conclude that this thirst stems
from an alliance between our individual sinful natures and the world system. The world
system tells us that we should brag about the awards our children have won. The
parents who are motivated to put a bumper sticker on their car are following the course
and habit of this world system that encourages us to admire those among us who are
good parents. This same thirst is what drives a person to diligently practice a physical
skill to the point of being a professional athlete. It's no wonder that professional baseball
is referred to as "the show."
I've made some statements that you or others may take as insulting. Before you
paste that bumper sticker on your car, please look at I John 2:16. The Apostle John
warns us about "the pride of life" in this verse. Pride is a sickness of the soul. If we
desire to hear praise and words of admiration, we probably have this sickness. A good
test is how we respond to flattery. If we get a great charge out of compliments, then
we may have a good dose of this sickness. The best indication that we have it or don't
have it is seen in the way that we respond to criticism. The humble person who is
habitually seeking the Lord's glory will not be easily moved by the pointed finger of
accusation.
God's love for us is such that he doesn't want us pursuing the approval and applause
of man because it is very temporary and gets in the way of our contemplation of Him.
Since there is nothing better for us to focus on than God, God wants us to be
focused on the best there is. He wants us to live lives sharing in the reality of His
eternal applause for His Son. Jesus delivered us from the condemnation of the law once
and for all so that we could rest in the Father's approval. Based on the action of God
the Father, who declared all His children righteous for eternity in Christ by grace through
faith, we can rest in the Father's approval. We don't need the approval of a religious
organization, our family and friends, or anyone else. All of us who have put our faith
in Jesus Christ to save us are as acceptable to God the Father as is His Son. We
merit heaven because of the work of Jesus and nothing else. We are not saved by
works. While works may justify us in the eyes of man, God sees us righteous because
we are in Christ, whose work on the behalf of all men was for the purpose of bringing
praise to the glory of God's grace (Ephesians 1:3-6).
The heart of our Father is such that He desires for us to become more and more
occupied with true and lasting things. He sees the futility of man's applause. It
produces nothing of eternal value. It is noisy for a moment like a clanging cymbal. God
wants us to see it for what it is.
"And the world is passing away, and also it's lusts;
but the one who does the will of God abides forever...."
I John 2:17