11 06 07 One Another’s (Part VI)
The Empty Applause of Men

“Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself.” (Philippians 2:3 NET)

There is a fine line concerning the motivation behind the good things people do today. So many awards are given for so little accomplishment or actual work, it is as if all we have to do is think of a good idea we’ll receive some sort of bonus of reward. Though many of us have a heart to do good things and help people, many times we get offended if no one notices. Let us all be assured: God notices everything; even our very motives and thought s behind our actions!

As believers, one needs to do things simply out of concern, passion, and pure love for others. We must be careful not to seek the vainglory, or THE EMPTY APPLAUSE OF MEN. Just as the good Samaritan would not pass up an opportunity to personally care for one in need (though other religious types were too busy to stop) and even invest his time and resources on the man, we must put others needs above our own needs and desires.

We have to be very careful to allow the Lord to supply all the praise we’ll ever need. It is a challenge. Our human nature is such that we get hurt when we are not recognized. We feel neglected and unappreciated. Our inclination is to pull back. But just as Jesus instructed the disciples when the discussion of positions came up;

“It must not be this way among you! Instead whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
(Matthew 20:26-28)

We have to be careful not to get caught up in THE EMPTY APPLAUSE OF MEN. May we all strive for the “well done” of God on that great and wonderful Day when all true believers will stand before His throne. That’s the Day I am doing my best to concentrate upon. I must keep reminding myself: Thy Kingdom come…Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven! I long for that Day Jesus returns and all I will seek is His praise and no longer fight the temptations this world offers!