Betta recognize

-CoNnEcT- What is life really about? Who are we really trying to please? These are a couple of the questions that come to mind when thinking about my life. Daily I find myself trying to please so many people. For example; at work I try all day long to please my clients so that they stay happy and I like it when they congratulate me for the great work I’ve done and when then tell my boss it makes it all the better. Then when I’m with my friends I go out of my way to impress them and gain their acceptance. I go out of my way time after time to please everyone around me and then I think what have I been doing to please God and gain his acceptance. I mean after all he went out of his way for me when he died on that cross taking all of my sins with him.

-ReFlEcT- Read Matthew 10
Key Verse: Matthew 10:32-33

“ Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will also disown him before my father in heaven.”

These verses are clear and to the point. Jesus is saying if you would acknowledge me, if you would recognize me, if you would speak of me in front of everyone around you, your family near or far, your friends in school, in church and in your neighborhood and anyone that you come in contact with, if you would acknowledge me then I would acknowledge you in front of my Father in Heaven. I would recognize you and speak of you to my Father.

-DiReCt- Everyday I seek recognition and acknowledgement from different people and yes it feels great when someone does but, I’ve realized that none of it really matters if I don’t have the recognition of my heavenly Father, the creator of all things and of men, the one who has the power to welcome me in his kingdom or send me away. It is ok to want the recognition and acceptance from people around us it’s in our human nature but our humanity and our earthly being is here only temporarily. So why go out of our way to please ourselves here on this earth when it’s all going to end someday? Why not seek to please the one that is eternal and would soon come for us to live with him eternally? I don’t know about you but I rather go out of my way to please God to speak of him and his goodness then to please myself and be sent away and disowned by God.

-What is one of your favorite ways to get attention?
-Who do you try to impress the most in your life, and why?
-What ways do you acknowledge God in your life?
-Think about how we can develop a greater desire to make God first on our list of people to please.
-What did you find interesting in Matthew Chapter 10?

God, We want to make time to acknowledge you. Give us a growing desire to please you in all we do and to let everyone know about your love. We have so many people we have to make happy—ourselves, our peers, our parents and teachers, sometimes even a boss…help us to make sure that first and foremost we are pleasing you. In doing this, we are thankful that you reflect back a concern for us. You are always faithful even when we are not. Thank you for that faithfulness. Amen.