We want a thumbs up from God!

Crowds may applaud you and chant your name, but it’s what God thinks that counts.

The Christian life has taught us to measure the praise we get from people and receive it only in proportion to how well it might be received by God. 

A young man was taught to play the violin by a master teacher who emphasized technique, phrasing, and feel as part of every performance. As the young man performed in his first public recital, his teacher sat in the audience. He played his heart out. The audience sat on the edges of their seats. 

When he completed his performance, the audience rose to its feet and gave him several ovations, applauds, and praise. The young violinist scanned the audience frantically looking for his teacher. He heard the cheers of the crowd but their ovations and praise were deaf to his ears. He ignored their praise and scanned the crowd until he found his teacher. When he made eye contact, his teacher gave him a thumbs up and mouthed the words “Bravo.”

The praise of the master teacher is all that mattered.

Many Christians do great works in the name of the Lord. We help the needy, feed the hungry, and champion the causes of the less fortunate. Sometimes we are praised in the media and other places, but the praise we really seek is from the master. We want to please him through our service and that’s enough.

1 Thessalonians 2:4 says, "On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts."

The praise of men is fleeting. The praise of God is everlasting.

What want to hear is, “Well done, my good and faithful servant!”

Bravo!