Whenever someone compliments or commends a particular feature of our life, there are varying degrees of pressure to maintain and even surpass that standard. It can be our physical appearance, our intelligence, our talent, our humor, even our spirituality. It can be pretty much anything. I call this the Liberace Syndrome.
For Liberace, it was his candelabras and his outfits. It got to a point where to meet the ever-growing expectations of his audience, his outfits became so elaborate and over-the-top that they got more attention and press than his performance on the piano.
The point is, don’t get caught up in trying to live up to the expectations of others. Don’t become enslaved to the praise of your audience, whomever they are.
Jesus performed many astonishing miracles but did not succumb to the temptation to produce greater and greater “performances.” Instead, He said, “I do not accept glory from men” (John 5:41). Whether or not people were impressed, He wasn’t driven by the need for glory but by His inner compass, which always pointed to His Father.
(Comments, contact me at pastor@valleybrook.church)
Thanks Pastor/Brother Dan. How wonderful not having to perform, especially not for the love and rescue that Jesus provides.
Yes and Amen! It is all to the glory of God. He is the One I aim to please. Without him my capabilities become messy, noisy, and obviously all about me or what I think others think of me. When I humble myself to Him, He gets the glory out of my life.
Human nature wants the acceptance and appreciation of others. I want to be accepted by others. So, I try to keep my focud on Him, making it all about Him. The word of God says, “And I, when lifted up from the Earth, will draw all men unto me.” John 12:32 KJV
Thank you for the Hump Day Boost, Pastor. I thank God for you!