Applause (Galatians 1:10)

Brinson || Black Canvas It doesn’t matter who we are, we all seek after the approval of others. Kids desire praise from their parents. Teens long for it from their friends. Employees want to impress their boss. Rappers want a co-sign from those at the top, along with the praise of their fanbase. The desire for applause is not a bad thing. Under the right circumstances, such approval can mean we’re likable or doing a good job. Our motives determine whether our desire for praise is good or bad. As Christians, we are taught to seek the approval of God above all else. For us, things take a turn south when we start compromising our faith for the sake of man’s accolades. In the hook for his song, Brinson plainly states this truth: “Applause, something I don’t live for/ Type of thing people wanna kill for/ Heaven, want more than a Benz-o, trying to go there with my kinfolk…” His words drive home the seriousness of the issue and echo the words of Paul in Galatians 1:10. In that passage Paul presents the two competing goals of pleasing man or pleasing God, emphasizing that you cannot do both. According to …

Brinson || Black Canvas

It doesn’t matter who we are, we all seek after the approval of others. Kids desire praise from their parents. Teens long for it from their friends. Employees want to impress their boss. Rappers want a co-sign from those at the top, along with the praise of their fanbase. The desire for applause is not a bad thing. Under the right circumstances, such approval can mean we’re likable or doing a good job. Our motives determine whether our desire for praise is good or bad. As Christians, we are taught to seek the approval of God above all else. For us, things take a turn south when we start compromising our faith for the sake of man’s accolades.

In the hook for his song, Brinson plainly states this truth: “Applause, something I don’t live for/ Type of thing people wanna kill for/ Heaven, want more than a Benz-o, trying to go there with my kinfolk…” His words drive home the seriousness of the issue and echo the words of Paul in Galatians 1:10. In that passage Paul presents the two competing goals of pleasing man or pleasing God, emphasizing that you cannot do both. According to Paul, you cannot follow Christ if you’re preoccupied with the opinion of others. Yet, that is the very thing many of us try to do. So often we put our faith on the back burner because we don’t want to offend others. We’d rather receive their applause and its accompanying benefits. We can even be guilty of this without knowing we’re doing it, whether it be speaking less about our faith around our friends or changing our approach to be more palatable for those around us. This is a problem.

Instead of shying away from our faith, we need to take the approach that Brinson & the Scriptures give us. Our motivation should be pleasing God with the desire of reaching heaven. This isn’t just a solo goal; we should want our friends & family to be in heaven with us. With that as our mindset we can start trusting the Bible & stop seeking the applause of others at the expense of our faith. Proverbs 29:25 teaches that worrying about man (including their opinions) can become a trap; but, if we trust in the Lord we are safe. No, events may not always turn out in our favor, but we know that it will always work for our good (Romans 8:28). The Bible is full of men & women who put God’s approval above that of man, and God never spat on their faithfulness.

I won’t lie, gaining the world’s approval, whatever that looks like, comes with some pretty sweet benefits, at least it seems that way on the surface. But stop and think about it. What are these temporary praises worth in comparison to the treasures we have stored up for us in heaven? Don’t let applause be the thing you live for, unless it’s God saying, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

What are some areas in your life where you’re seeking applause & recognition? Is your desire for applause causing you to compromise your faith?
Read Daniel 6. It would have been easy for Daniel to stop praying for a month to follow the king’s law, but he didn’t. How can Daniel’s faith be of encouragement to you?
Read Proverbs 3:1-4; Luke 2:52; Romans 14:18; and Galatians 2:1-10. Not all approval is bad. According to these verses, when is it good to seek the approval of others?

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Background music: Beat Rabbi “Double Dog Dare You (Instrumental)” from album Deepspace5oul – courtesy of Illect Recordings