I was on the phone earlier today talking with a friend while my niece and nephew whom I was babysitting were both trying to talk to me as well. Neither my phone conversation nor my conversations with my niece and nephew very productive. I could not fully embrace either conversation when I was trying to hold on to both. The truth is, living trying to split your focus and attention does not work well at all. This is particularly true when we consider dividing our attention between Christ and anything else. It simply does not work. Because of this, Scripture teaches that we are called to live for Christ and Christ alone.
When it comes to dividing our attention, the approval of people is one of the biggest hang ups that gets in the way. The writer of the book of Proverbs reminds us of this in Proverbs 29 where he wrote, “Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the Lord means safety” (verse 25). Fearing people is an example of what it looks like to live for the approval of people. It means making decisions based on what people think. It means doing everything you can to make people happy. It means living so that others will be pleased with you. This is a trap, Proverbs 29:5 tells us. Instead of fearing people, this verse calls us to trust God. Trusting God means living for Him and trusting what He says about you and what He teaches in His word. This means safety and security. Now, if fearing people leads to danger, and trusting God leads to safety, we clearly cannot do both. We will be torn in two completely directions and end up either going nowhere or in a spot we never intended to be. We have to make the decision: will we fear people or will we trust God?
We cannot live for God and for the people around us. Living this way simply will not work. It is an ineffective and dangerous way to live. We have two options: living for God or living for others’ approval. Only one of these leads to safety. I do not know about you, but I want to live solely for God and find safety as a result. Let’s make 2023 a year where we solely lived for Him, and nothing else.
Whose approval have you found yourself living for? God’s or other people’s? Take a few minutes to honestly answer that question. If you have been living for others, what step can you take this week to turn solely to Christ instead of others? If you have been living for Christ, what benefits have you found? How does this encourage you to keep living for Him in the future?
"Whoever stubbornly refuses to accept criticism
will suddenly be destroyed beyond recovery.
2 When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice.
But when the wicked are in power, they groan.
3 The man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father,
but if he hangs around with prostitutes, his wealth is wasted.
4 A just king gives stability to his nation,
but one who demands bribes destroys it.
5 To flatter friends
is to lay a trap for their feet.
6 Evil people are trapped by sin,
but the righteous escape, shouting for joy.
7 The godly care about the rights of the poor;
the wicked don’t care at all.
8 Mockers can get a whole town agitated,
but the wise will calm anger.
9 If a wise person takes a fool to court,
there will be ranting and ridicule but no satisfaction.
10 The bloodthirsty hate blameless people,
but the upright seek to help them.
11 Fools vent their anger,
but the wise quietly hold it back.
12 If a ruler pays attention to liars,
all his advisers will be wicked.
13 The poor and the oppressor have this in common—
the Lord gives sight to the eyes of both.
14 If a king judges the poor fairly,
his throne will last forever.
15 To discipline a child produces wisdom,
but a mother is disgraced by an undisciplined child.
16 When the wicked are in authority, sin flourishes,
but the godly will live to see their downfall.
17 Discipline your children, and they will give you peace of mind
and will make your heart glad.
18 When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild.
But whoever obeys the law is joyful.
19 Words alone will not discipline a servant;
the words may be understood, but they are not heeded.
20 There is more hope for a fool
than for someone who speaks without thinking.
21 A servant pampered from childhood
will become a rebel.
22 An angry person starts fights;
a hot-tempered person commits all kinds of sin.
23 Pride ends in humiliation,
while humility brings honor.
24 If you assist a thief, you only hurt yourself.
You are sworn to tell the truth, but you dare not testify.
25 Fearing people is a dangerous trap,
but trusting the Lord means safety.
26 Many seek the ruler’s favor,
but justice comes from the Lord.
27 The righteous despise the unjust;
the wicked despise the godly."
