Text: John 5:30-47
“Am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” —Galatians 1:10
A young pianist gave his first concert at the Royal Festival Hall in London. The concert was sold out. When he finished his final piece, the crowd went wild. They stood to their feet and loudly applauded the performance, but the young pianist bowed quickly and hurried off stage.
The audience was begging for him to come back. The stage manager whispered to him: “Go out there, they are roaring for you.” The young man didn’t move. Instead, he peered through a crack in the curtain, anxiously scanning the audience. “I can’t go out there,” he said. The stage manager said: “Look, son, they are on their feet—trust me, they don’t do this for everybody—get out there and enjoy it.”
The boy continued to scan the audience, then looking back at the stage manager said, “They’re not all standing. Do you see that old man in the last row from the back? He’s not standing, he is still seated.” “Who cares about one old man?” the stage manager pushed back. The boy answered: “I care. That’s my teacher. When he stands, I can take that bow.”
That young pianist had managed to impress thousands of people that night but knew somewhere in his heart their glory wasn’t the most important thing. In John 5, Jesus is dealing with religious people who were masterful artists at impressing the crowds, but callously grieved God. They were the religious influencers of the time.
Jesus said to them:
“You refuse to come to me that you may have life. I do not receive glory from people. But I know that you do not have the love of God within you. I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?”
These religious people were so bent on the approval of other human beings, receiving glory from mere mortals, that they missed God even as He stood incarnate right in front of them. They failed to believe. Consider all we can miss out on by seeking glory from people rather than God. We forfeit knowing who we really are and being known and loved in the most intimate way. We settle for superficial applause over deep and satisfying meaning to life. We lack peace while God feels distant. We pass on going deeper with Jesus and settle for the fickle likes of others.
Seeking the honor, the glory, and the approval of God liberates us to walk in the new self Jesus gives, while human flattery just self-medicates us into feeling like a temporary “better version” of our same old sinful self. In the case of religious leaders in this chapter, it even caused many to miss out on eternal salvation.
We can seek the glory that comes from God over the glory that comes from man. And we always should, because so much is riding on God getting His glory in our lives. Think about that as you seek to abide in Him this week.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, you created us and want a relationship with us in the most intimate way. You want our focus, our passion, our desires, and our quest for approval. Holy Spirit, teach us how to pursue the glory of God over the fickle applause of mere mortals. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Questions for Personal Reflection or Group Discussion:
- In what ways can religion impress people but grieve God?
- How did the religious people in John 5 “receive glory from one another” and fail to “seek the glory that comes from the only God”?
- When have you sought human “glory” over God’s glory in your life?
- Do you need to repent or grieve over a misdirected quest for approval, or honor?
- What can you practically do this week to help you seek God’s glory over man?
