4 Minute Read

Prepare Your Heart

To the best of your ability, get rid of all distractions. Take a few minutes to breathe deeply and quiet yourself in the Lord’s presence. Then, ask the Lord to speak to you in this time. Let Him know that you will listen and make whatever adjustments He will reveal to you.

Read God’s Word

Nehemiah 8:1-9:37
Acts 14:8-28

A Verse for Today

Slowly and reflectively read the following verse(s) and listen to what God will say to you through His written Word. Consider writing down any insights He reveals to you.

Acts 14:11 (CSB): “When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted, saying in the Lycaonian language, ‘The gods have come down to us in human form!'”

Acts 14:19 (CSB): “Some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and when they won over the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, thinking he was dead.”

Reflecting on God’s Word

Some people like to be encouraged. I’m (sometimes) one of those people. It feels good when someone acknowledges something you did or who you are and celebrates it.

Proverbs 12:25 (CSB): “Anxiety in a person’s heart weighs it down, but a good word cheers it up.”

There is nothing inherently wrong with listening to others who say things that lift our spirits. I’ve run in 5K and half-marathon races, and the affirmation of bystanders has helped me dig deep and finish the race when I felt like quitting.

But encouragement can be dangerous. One way it becomes dangerous is when our heart craves encouragement. When we rely upon the encouragement of our peers for our well-being or even our identity, we have crossed the line, and those words become dangerous.

Why?

Because when we crave the affirmation of our peers, we are no longer ultimately relying upon the Lord’s Word to encourage our hearts. We are relying upon others to tell us who we are and to assess the value of what we are doing. For a believer, that makes people big and God small. And that’s a horrible thing!

In Acts 14:11, we read that the people of Lystra saw Paul perform a miracle. They immediately began to celebrate Paul with their words.

Acts 14:11 (CSB): “When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted, saying in the Lycaonian language, ‘The gods have come down to us in human form!'”

If Paul had been so dedicated to exalting the Lord Jesus Christ, he could have let those words go to his head. He could have allowed it to inflate his ego. If he and Barnabas were feeling down, those words could have elevated them to the proverbial “cloud nine.” People were saying that Paul and Barnabas were deities in human form! They could have had the crowd eating out of their hands!

What we discover is that Paul and Barnabas didn’t crave affirmation. With a full spirit, they were able to see those words for what they were – blasphemy! They ripped their clothes in a sign of anguish (Acts 14:14) and publicly corrected the crowd. They said they were only mere mortals as they sought to exalt the only true and living God.

How did the crowd respond? They had just flattered Paul and Barnabas. What did they do after Paul corrected them?

Acts 14:19 (CSB): “Some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and when they won over the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, thinking he was dead.”

The same crowd that had tried to flatter Paul and Barnabas quickly moved to stone Paul to his death.

Friend, encouragement isn’t necessarily wrong. It can be the wind in your sails when you need it. But when you crave encouragement, it can become dangerous. You allow someone to open the door of your heart with encouragement, only to have them harm you once they are in there.

So, keep encouragement in perspective. It’s great when it comes. But take it with a grain of salt when it comes from others. Let your heart ultimately crave the words of affirmation that come from the Lord and His Word. You can take it to the bank that He speaks the truth and will never turn on you.

Spend Time in Prayer

  • Ask God to help you crave His affirmation more than the affirmation of your peers.
  • Ask God to help you enjoy the encouragement from others, but keep it in perspective.

Going Deeper

If you want to dig a little deeper into what the Bible says about flattery and encouragement, consider reading the following GotQuestions article:

“What does the Bible say about flattery?”

“Why is encouragement so important according to the Bible?”

Sharing

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Matt Ellis is the pastor of White Hall Baptist Church in Richmond, Kentucky (whitehallbaptistchurch.org)