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

Thursday, August 3, 2023

[Jesus said,] "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 say what we say. We must not "spin" things just so we look good. We are not to do what we do to be accepted. 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

Comments

Archived Facebook Comments

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Thursday, August 3, 2023

Quotemeal
A daily dose of Christian quotes to inspire and encourage.
Quote by Tertullian:
"We say, and we say openly, and while ye torture us, mangled and gory we cry out, "We worship God through Christ!" Believe Him a man: it is through Him and in..."
Unstoppable!
A one-year devotional guide through the book of Acts.
'We Are Only Messengers from God!' (Acts 14:14-18)
"But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard [that the priests of Zeus were about to offer sacrifices to them], they tore their clothing in dismay....."
A Year with Jesus
A devotional to help reclaim Jesus as the daily Lord of our lives.
'Riot!'
"Dear Beloved, Your world is filled with many influences that vie for the control of your heart and the practice of your faith. In the multi-cultural...."
Morning & Evening
The classic twice-daily devotional from Charles H. Spurgeon.
Morning Thought: Revelation 21:23
"Quietly contemplate the Lamb as the light of heaven. Light in Scripture is the emblem of joy. The joy of the saints in heaven is comprised in this:..."

Illustration

Illustration of Luke 11:43 NLT — [Jesus said,] "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.

More What Jesus Did!