Day 2575 of the 7 day Bible verse challenge.


Luke 6:26 NIV

So we've been talking about this human desire to be praised and applauded by those around us. We crave glory and honor as they bring us this sense of power and superiority that our egos thrive upon. So it's no wonder why so many seem so eager to do, say, think, and believe whatever will afford them the opportunity to fit in with what this world has deemed important or true. But there's a price for that social validation.

The price is our soul. That's what we have to be willing to give up if we want this world to like us. We have to be willing to surrender our individuality, our identity, and in many ways even our decency. Who God made us to be, who He calls us to be are quite different from what this place has idolized. Truth vs. falsehood. Decency vs. immorality. Compassion vs. hatred. God's will vs. humanity's desires. The list of differences is far too long to cover in depth, so I'll assume you see my point and just stop there.

What so many find so much value and importance in is really something that we should be desperate to avoid. They tell us that fitting in, being liked, being praised, being powerful in this world is what matters most. Having things that everyone else envies, living a life that many dream of living, and rising to the pinnacle of this new world ideal is the driving force behind everything that so many people live for anymore. And again, they'll do whatever it takes to get it so that other people will tell them that they've arrived. They've made it. They matter.

But in a world that accepts abomination, celebrates sin, and thoroughly enjoys lies and wickedness, what are we trying to gain? What do we benefit when this evil world says we're doing good? What do we earn by gaining the praise of a society that praises everything that's wrong? Comfort? Approval? A sense of belonging? Whatever it is it must be truly important because it has become one of those universal goals that anyone who isn't chasing is left looking like some kind of weirdo for not keeping up with the world around them.

What we have to understand is that this world loves everything that's wrong. It loves lies. It loves debauchery. It loved hatred and violence. It loves every form of evil and wickedness that it can possibly find. So if it loves us then what's that telling us? If a wicked world loves us and praises us and approves of what we say and do then we should be absolutely horrified at what we've become. This place loves everything that resembles and conforms to the masses. So if we're loved here then we've gone horribly wrong somewhere along the line!

It's not that we shouldn't want to be loved or accepted or feel like we belong. We just shouldn't want any of those things in a place that stands for everything we should despise. We shouldn't try to find a place to call home in a world that has chosen to become everything that our true home is not. We shouldn't be willing to let go of what God planted inside of us just so we can put down roots and grow into what this wicked world wants us to be.

This world will always love everything evil. So if you want to be loved, and appreciated, and accepted down here, then you'll have to accept that evil yourself. You'll have to become that evil. You'll have to sell your soul to the wickedness that this world has deemed valuable if you want to feel like you belong here. So be careful what you ask for. This world is more than ready to welcome you with open arms. But you will have to let go of God and everything good if that's truly what you want from life.

Friends, just remember this isn't our home. This isn't forever. At some point this world will pass away, so why spend our time building kingdoms for the world around us to praise only for them to crumble when Christ returns? Don't give up what God gave you in exchange for a little comfort through worldly acceptance and approval. Those things may make our stay here a little more enjoyable, but what we'll lose on order to get them is definitely not something we should be willing to give away.

In the end, this world has nothing we need. So it can keep its praise and approval. Christ bought those on the cross and this world simply can’t compete with His perfect version of love.

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