As I sat looking out the broad glass windows overlooking the golf course, waiting (anxiously) for my son to finish his round of golf in the tournament, I read these words from John 12:42-43:"Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in Him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue, for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God." Think of it, these were folks, even many leaders in the Jewish community, who heard Jesus' teaching, perhaps saw His miracles, and believed. They were believers in the Son of God, the Messiah, the omnipotent One... but they were more afraid of some Pharisees, some men, than they were afraid of and awed by God Almighty!
And "they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God." Consider for a moment: what an incredibly foolish and ridiculous tradeoff they made. They preferred man's fleeting, fickle accolades, here today and forgotten tomorrow, to the glory of the all powerful, eternal God of the universe! His glory never fades, never falters, never diminishes one iota even out into incalculable billions and trillions of years. His glory fully satisfies. His glory awes. His glory astonishes.
And man's? Well, ask the folks who just unceremoniously removed the statue of the revered, winningest coach in NCAA history: Joe Paterno. Man's glory is fickle and often rests upon the wrong foundations. Quick, can you name the winner of the Heisman Trophy five years ago... or even last year? The richest, the smartest, the prettiest, the most talented--you name it, it comes and goes, forgotten and empty. We all know that the accolades and perks that come with fame and success in this world prove to be fleeting at best... and often ultimately devastatingly destructive.
So, these guys who surely should have known better, who knew God, who believed, they still feared man, not God. And sought man's glory, not God's. Thank goodness we never do that. Yeah, right.
John Piper recently wrote: "If you love the glory of man, you do not love the glory of God." We can't have it both ways--we love one or the other, we seek after and yearn for one or the other. And it is a fight we all have to wage every single day of our lives--fight our sinful, shallow nature that craves man's applause rather than God's. It's called pride, and it will take us down. Pride--that seeking after the glory of man--promises much but delivers precious little. And it always results in disillusionment and ultimately emptiness and despair.
The answer? We fight it--tooth and nail, by the power of God. We wage war against our misplaced affections. We continually return to the cross, daily, hourly, asking God to forgive us and help us to fix our hearts and our affections upon His glory. Seeking to make much of Him, rather than much of me. Asking Him to be ever increasing while we ever decrease.... so that we might see and experience and revel in His glory.
Paul fought this fight. John Piper is fighting this fight. Even Billy Graham and the godliest person you know. Every single one of us who loves the Lord Jesus must tenaciously wage war against our love of man's glory rather than God's. As John Piper wrote, the war is between our affection and love for man's glory and applause versus our love and affection for God's glory and "We are all fighting to love God most."
Nothing compares to the glory of God. Help us, Father, to remember that and enable us, by Your almighty power, to wage a victorious fight within ourselves to yearn after, to love, to seek, and to see Your glory, not man's, in our lives and in this world. Keep us fighting and faithful, Father. And to God--and God alone--be ALL THE GLORY!
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