What Jesus Did! 'The Fleeting Value of the Praise of our Peers' — Luke 11:43

Thursday, August 3, 2023

[Jesus continued his accusations against the Pharisees:] "What sorrow awaits you Pharisees! For you love to sit in the seats of honor in the synagogues and receive respectful greetings as you walk in the marketplaces."
— Luke 11:43 NLT

Key Thought

What drives you? Whose approval matters most to you? The praise of our peers often drives us. We talk about peer pressure influencing teens. However, we often fail to acknowledge that we, as adults, allow approval pressure to affect us, too. Religious leaders are not immune to this temptation. If the approval of others is what matters most, Satan will find a way to use our need for affirmation to corrupt our message. We must know why we do what we do and why we say what we say and keep those motivations pure and holy. We must not "spin" things just so we look good. We are not to do what we do to be accepted by others but by God. What should matter most to us? God's approval, appreciation, and affirmation must matter most!

Today's Prayer

Father, help me live to honor you with undiluted desire. While I know you will send others to encourage and affirm me when I need it most, I also do not want to "sell out" my faith for the approval of others. Keep my heart, my motives, and my life pure of any contaminant that would rob you of your glory and your place of preeminence in my life. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings

  • John 7:18
  • John 12:42-43
  • Galatians 1:10

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Illustration

Illustration of Luke 11:43 NLT — "What sorrow awaits you Pharisees! For you love to sit in the seats of honor in the synagogues and receive respectful greetings as you walk in the marketplaces."

About This Devotional

What Jesus Did! is a series of one-year devotional guides through each gospel, using one short scripture passage each day and following the Gospel in sequential order. Each devotional consists of a scripture passage and a reflection and a prayer which open up the day's scripture and show how it challenges you to live for Jesus.

What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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