Knights Becoming and a Lady in Waiting

Pretty Please?

10Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Galatians 1:10

Isn't it odd how you can read something in the Bible a million times and only have it click on one million and one?  I was reading my Beth Moore Living Beyond Yourself study a few days ago and she brought up this verse.  The part that really caught me, though, was when she gave up the meaning behind the Greek word for "please," which is "aresko."  It means, among other things, "to accomodate oneself to, or to be acceptable."

How often do we Christians try to do this?  We dress our kids (and ourselves) in a conservative version of the same thing that the other kids are wearing.  It's conservative, so it's not as bad, but it's still mostly acceptable.  We don't swear, but we don't walk out of the room when someone tells an off-color joke.  In fact, we laugh, if a bit nervously.  Don't listen to me laugh, God.  Really, I'm just doing it to be polite.  We shop at places where the morals are, at best, questionable, but justify it because it saves our family some money and then we can send more to missionaries.

Why are we trying to accomodate ourselves to the world?  Why do I try to accomodate myself to the world?  Why do I read books, however well-written, that take up more of my time than my Bible does?  Why do I listen to music, however melodic, that espouses values I do not support?  Why do I try to raise my children in a manner that is different, but the same?

Further down in the study, Beth notes that "approval and servanthood are connected because we become immediate slaves to the person(s) from whom we seek approval."  Isn't that the truth?  As soon as the desire for my husband's approval becomes stronger than my desire for God's approval, I may start hiding my Bible reading (or doing it when he's not around).  As soon as the desire for the approval of some of my local homeschooling friends becomes stronger than my desire for God's approval, I may be willing to tone down my "religiosity" so that they'll remain my friends.

Ah, dear Father, forgive me.  I should only be servant and slave to One, yet so often I fall in this trap because I desire approval and affirmation from other people, rather than just You.

22But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.

Romans 6:22

Well said!

11:48 PM, Apr. 22, 2006 .. Posted by LikeARose14

I am one who is always falling into this trap. I was raised in a loving but very negative family. I was always being compared to someone "better" than myself and criticized. (This was my parents why of motivating me to "better" myself.) This was so programed into my head that I feel very incompetant and I find myself looking to others for their stamp of approval when I should be asking God for His approval. Thank you for reminding me of this. In Christ, Rosie.

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12:38 AM, Apr. 23, 2006 .. Posted by jaminacema

Again you give me a lot to think about! Thanks!!

I agree!

7:17 AM, Apr. 24, 2006 .. Posted by GenesisFamily

This is also an area where I struggle! DH and I made the decision last year that we would not have movies or music in the house that our kids would not be allowed to listen to. This was hard because some of the movies weren't that bad... but they also weren't that good! And why would I want to fill my mind and my kid's minds with things that aren't the best! I also decided that if I was going to read something, it must be the Bible first and then something else. If I had time to read the Bible needed to be my priority. Now, of course I fail at this all the time, but I am a work in progress!
Thank you for your post it is a great reminder!
Toni

Father, forgive me...

1:35 PM, Apr. 24, 2006 .. Posted by JessieWalkingByFaith

O Heavenly Father, please forgive me where I hav esinne din this area as well. Forgive me for sitting in a theater watching a play with my ister instead of taking a tsnad and getting up and leaving. Forgive me for sitting quietly by while others said profane things and made jokes of things that make you angry and things that you hate. I am so sorry Father. Please help me to be more sensitive to Your Holy Spirit and bolder. Help me to live for You and not others. In Jesus Precious Name, Amen

Thank you so much for this blog. I am doing a Beth Moore study right now as well. I am learning a lot. God Bless!! ((Hugs)) Jessie