Ignoring Earthly Acceptance

Scripture: Romans 12:1-8

Key Verse: Romans 12:2

In the last devotion about anxiety, God revealed to me that a lot of our anxiety is rooted in earthly acceptance. All of us seek some sort of approval from some source whether its from friends, family, peers, teachers, or employers. We just want to be told that we are doing well or know that someone is proud of us. However, God warns us about seeking earthly approval or misusing earthly acceptance because the only approval that should matter is His.

Growing up, I used to despise participation trophies and awards because I didn’t understand why people who did absolutely nothing were rewarded for doing the bare minimum. However, now that I reflect back on those experiences, I realize that sometimes showing up was some people’s way of them giving their best. Because, if truth be told, there are many people who signed up for stuff but never showed up. I say all that to say when is the last time you thanked God for just showing up in your life. He didn’t do anything in that moment, but His presence was enough for you to reward Him with your praise. The same way you applaud God for His existence, you should be grateful for another day of life. God wants you to be proud of yourself for showing up in moments where you weren’t appreciated, moments where you didn’t feel needed, moments where people didn’t even acknowledge your existence. Today He wants you to know that you are enough. He wants you to know that your obedience was a sign of change and submission to His perfect will. The fact that you return to that environment day after day and still let your light shine means that the world cannot have you because you are His (v.2).

There may be others of you who are like some other people I grew up with. You won almost everything, and you didn’t care what others thought. In fact, you wondered why the people who just showed up didn’t try harder or do better. Today God wants you to humble yourself (v.3). He did not place you in that position to tear people to down or to “just be honest.” He put you in that position to help people soar, so that He can get the glory. As members of the body of Christ we all are placed on Earth with different purposes. As one body, if one part is weak or sick or bruised in any way the other parts have to compensate for that while it gets better. If you’ve ever had a broken or sprained bone think about how hard other parts of your body had to work until that part was better. That part of your body may have been overlooked, but, in that moment, you didn’t tell it to try harder or do better. No, you realized that it was healing so that it could serve its purpose and you allowed it to do that without judgement. Some people’s purpose on earth, believe it or not, is just to exist to help you to become humbler. What does that mean? Well it may mean that the person who shows up everyday and does what you perceive as the bare minimum and continues to audition for things and not be chosen every single time needs you. You may need to help with that part of the body until that area (person) heals. God is placing at your feet a chance for you to use your gift whatever that may be. (There are several opportunities listed in verses 6-8.) The question is: will you take it?

Maybe you didn’t fall into the first two categories, but you are like the other people I grew up with who said they didn’t care about what people thought and didn’t care what other people were doing. Well if that’s you today, God cares about what you’re doing. He wants to be there for you. He wants you to care about what He thinks. He wants you to walk in your purpose and become aligned with His will. He wants that to be the source of your joy. He loves you and needs you, but you have to trust Him and ignore whatever the world said or did to get you to this point. He wants you to know that you can start over with Him. The choice is yours.

Prayer: Lord today I am praying for everyone on this earth. Those being denied earthly acceptance, those who utilize their earthly acceptance as a reason to not walk in love, and especially those who fall into this gray area where they no longer care about acceptance. Lord today I am accepted by you, and I realize that is all that matters. I want to use my gift to walk in your purpose. Lord even if you decided today to get rid of all my earthly achievements, I know that you would sustain me and get the glory and for that I am grateful. Lord thank you for renewing my mind today. I now know that I have purpose in you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.