What Jesus Did! 'Listening to the Wrong Folks' — John 5:41-44

Thursday, April 16, 2026

[Talking to Jewish leaders who opposed him, Jesus continued,] "Your approval means nothing to me, because I know you don't have God's love within you. For I have come to you in my Father's name, and you have rejected me. Yet if others come in their own name, you gladly welcome them. No wonder you can't believe! For you gladly honor each other, but you don't care about the honor that comes from the one who alone is God."
— John 5:41-44 NLT

Key Thought

Whose approval are you trying to receive? Peer pressure is powerful in the lives of teens, but if we are really honest, adults are just as susceptible to peer pressure. Look at designer fashions, hot cars, house styles, popular movies, top ten books, and a host of other areas. Can we stand with Jesus and stand up to the ridicule of others, or do we cave in, hide out, or give up our faith when it's unpopular? Sometimes our churches are stained glass museums filled with spiritually impoverished people afraid to speak up for Jesus because they're too concerned about what others think and say. Let's pray that we may be both bold and respectful in sharing our faith in Jesus. [1]

[1] Acts 4:31; 1 Peter 3:15-16.

Today's Prayer

Glorious Father, please give me the courage to stand up for Jesus as much in the marketplace as I do when I am around other believers. Help my witness to be genuinely consistent as well as sensitive to those around me. Forgive me when I have been more concerned about what others think about me than I have about honoring Jesus as my Lord. In the name of your Son and my Savior, I pray. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings

Have thoughts on this devotional? Leave a comment

1 Related Resource by Heartlight

Beyond the Sacred Page
Devo: A Year with Jesus
"Dear Beloved, The Bible is a precious treasure. Don't neglect it. Use it and ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you through it. Remember! It is a tool....."

Illustration

Illustration of John 5:41-44 NLT — "Your approval means nothing to me, because I know you don't have God's love within you."

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Thursday, April 16, 2026

A Year with Jesus
A devotional to help reclaim Jesus as the daily Lord of our lives.
'Will You Truly Believe?'
"Dear Friend, I know the struggle that goes on inside your heart to truly believe. You want to believe, but really placing your full trust in Me is..."
Unstoppable!
A one-year devotional guide through the book of Acts.
'Now What?' (Acts 1:12-13)
"[After Jesus' ascension,] the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, a distance of half a mile. When they arrived, they went to the..."
Daily Wisdom
A daily devotional featuring wise counsel found in Scripture.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19
"All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in....."
Spiritual Warfare
A daily devotional about God's power for our battles.
'God Can Protect Your Home & Possessions'
"Satan answered the Lord, "Haven't you given Job a reason to fear God? Haven't you put a protective fence around him, his home, and everything he has?...."

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.

More What Jesus Did!