John 5:44 - Seeking to please man

Scripture

John 5:44 How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God ?

Observation

In John 5, Jesus had just healed a man who had been ill 30 years.  Some Jews approached Jesus to confront Him about healing a man on the Sabbath. The Sabbath was a holy day of rest and no work was to be done. In their perspective Jesus had broken the Sabbath because He had healed a man, and therefore working on this sacred day.

Jesus immediately pointed the crowd to God, His Father, and said that His Father is  always working so He should work also (John 5:17).   Jesus continued to teach the crowd about His relationship to the Father and the reward they would receive if they believed.  The crowd was outraged at these claims. Jesus responded by explaining to them that they had a lack of belief in Him because they were seeking the glory that comes from man and not the glory that comes from God.

When we seek glory from man we shut the door on faith.  We stop looking through the eyes of faith (2 Corinthians 5:7), we stop pleasing God (Hebrews 11:6), we stop walking in the direction that He has called us forward in (Psalm 86:11), we stop relying on Him,  and to put it bluntly, we will not last (Isaiah 7:9).

In the same respect when we seek the glory that comes from God, we receive peace even with our enemies (Proverbs 16:7), an inheritance of faith for our children (Psalm 103:17),  we walk in light and not in darkness (Psalm 112:4), and we receive eternal life (John 3:16).  The great news is that I have only listed a couple of the many promises that await for those who trust God. 

Who are you seeking glory from? This is a question we all should ask ourselves daily. And if you fall way short, like I do, maybe you should ask yourself multiple times throughout the day.

Application

Seeking to please man instead of God is one of my greatest offenses and it has been a huge snare in my life. A few years ago I asked God to rid me of this sin once and for all. Since then He has been growing my faith.  As my faith grows, my need to gain the approval of others lessens.  God has shown me the fickleness of man. A friend may be in your corner one day, but in the opposite corner the next. We all like to think of ourselves as faithful to the end, but the truth is we all fall short at one time or another….and another...and another.

When you rely on the approval of others you are tossed about, slipping and sliding on the sinking sand you are trying desperately to stand on (Matthew 7:26-27). To apply this scripture I need to ask God to increase my faith, memorize scriptures that warn against pleasing man and promote fearing God, and seek to please God each day.

Prayer

Savior, You are all I need. In the morning I eagerly awaken to hear word of Your unfailing love and at night I meditate on Your faithfulness. There are times my mind is caught up in tasks, fears, and selfishness.  But those times are becoming less and less because of the great work that You continue to do in my life. The old me is gone and I am a new creation in Christ (Ephesians 4:24). I ask that You would continue to grow my faith in You. Teach my Your ways that I may rely on Your faithfulness, give me an undivided heart that I may fear Your name (Psalm 86:11). Please keep my feet from the trap of seeking approval from others. My flesh is weak and drawn to seek my own glory, but Your good Spirit within me is strong. When Your righteousness leads me I do not fear the traps that the enemy sets for me, for You will protect me from all evil.  You will keep my soul.  You guard my going out and my coming in, from this time forth and forever (Psalm 121:7-8). Praise be to You King of Glory.