God or Men Applause?

It’s not about the popularity but the heart.
We have slowly equated being popular in ministry with being the best or greatest in the kingdom.
Everyone is struggling to get popular, constantly looking for more social media followers, and feeling less than or frustrated if there are not many likes on our posts.
We are slowly monetizing and industrializing service (ministry) and the church.

It’s not about how popular or influential you are. It’s about the heart of your service (ministry).

Why are you doing what you do? Would you still continue even if no one notices or applause you?

For example in a local church, everyone most likely knows the pastor but not everyone might know the person who cleans up the church, cleans the instruments, etc. That doesn’t make the pastor better than the person who takes care of the church building. We are a body. No part is more important than the other.

Honestly, God himself isn’t popular. It is the concept of God that is popular. Many people don’t truly know God. They just know He is in heaven, created the heavens and earth. But there’s more to God that many do not know because they don’t have a relationship with Him.

He doesn’t get the praises He truly deserves from every creature He has created. 

But this doesn’t stop God from doing His work.

When Jesus came to earth, many had no idea. The Pharisee and Sadducees, “the popular ones” who should have recognized Him at first sight, didn’t and ended up killing Him.
Why? Because they didn’t know God. They only knew the concept of God thus, they were not able to recognize His son too.

But that didn’t stop God’s plan of our redemption. It didn’t stop Jesus from healing the sick, preaching the word, etc. Instead of getter popular and glorified, He got persecutions and sufferings instead.

Jesus (Matthew 12:22-32, Luke 11:14-23) was even accused of working with Beelzebul (the ruler of demons.). They claimed that He was able to force out the demons because He is working with them and the demons are favoring and listening to Him. Imagine you trying to preach the word and win souls for Christ and instead of being praised, you get insulted and accused of being a messenger of the devil.

But Jesus was not bothered by all these. He continued in His ministry because He knew who He was living for & whose applause & recognition He wanted.

Paul said, “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ” ___ Galatians 1:10

Are you after worldly popularity, recognition, and applause or God’s recognition & applause?

Will you continue to share God word, spread His Love and live for Him even if you ain’t praised for it but persecuted for it?

We must get our priorities right. Are you after likes/followers on Instagram and other social media platforms or are you there to inspire, encourage, share God’s word and bless others through your posts?

We must understand that just because you didn’t get many likes on that post doesn’t make it useless. Personally, I always forget to like some posts. Not because they ain’t good but because they were super good, I was so blessed, absorbed and reflecting on the post and revelation from the Holy Spirit that I forgot to scroll back and like the post.

So, don’t live by the sight of the likes but by faith that people are getting blessed and you are doing the will of your father.

Don’t chase after popularity and miss the will and purpose of God for your life. Instead of being concerned if people know your name or know about all you are doing, you should be more concerned about whether God knows your name and sees all you do for the growth of the kingdom.

At the end of the day, we are here to live for God’s glory. He should be the one increasing while we decrease. But the minute we reverse that, the heart of our ministry is wrong.

As I was preparing this post, I heard this song by Francesca Battistelli, titled, “He knows my name.” And I felt it perfectly explains the message the Holy Spirit gave to me to share. 

So, am going let you marinate and soak in the lyrics of the chorus below. You can also check out the song and listen to it. It’s really amazing.

“I don’t need my name in lights
I’m famous in my Father’s eyes
Make no mistake
He knows my name
I’m not living for applause
I’m already so adored
It’s all His stage 
He knows my name oh, oh,
He knows my name oh, oh”

YOU ARE A VALUABLE & ESSENTIAL PART OF THE BODY OF CHRIST.

You don’t need men to confirm that with their applause. God already did. He knows you and calls you by your name. 

Shove men’s opinions and words aside and keep pressing on in God’s love and grace.

God loves and adores you. He sees all you do. He is El-Roi.

So, is it gonna be God’s applause or men’s applause? I trust you choosing God’s 😁

God bless.

Eternally Loved.