Have you ever seen someone crying for attention, fishing for compliments, begging to be praised? If you have been on Facebook you know what I mean. But perhaps you yourself are guilty of doing that. Would you be pleased if I said, “You are the most beautiful/handsome person I’ve ever seen. I’ve never met anyone as smart, wise, good, loving, and kind as you are. You amaze me. I wish everyone could be just like you! You deserve much more than you have. It’s a shame that everyone doesn’t believe everything you say, do everything you desire, give you everything you want, bow down at you feet, kiss your hand, and praise you all day every day. What’s wrong with them? Can’t they see your greatness?”
Would that make you happy? Well, I hate to disappoint you, but you will never hear that from me, and I doubt you will ever hear it from anyone else. The fact of the matter is that if hearing that would make you happy it is proof that it isn’t true. Anyone who longs to hear lies because it makes them feel good about themselves is far from perfect. They are like the hypocrites that Jesus warned us about in Matt. 6:1-6, who love to be seen and praised by men.
It’s not my opinion, nor yours, that really matters. God’s opinion is the only one that counts. What He thinks matters much! Rather than longing for lies we ought to be looking for ways to please God. Believe it or not, it is only by pleasing Him that we can ever truly be pleased.
If you want to hear something that will make you feel good, consider this– God tells the truth about ourselves. He tells us we are vile, filthy, guilty sinners, deserving of a devil’s hell—yet He loves us! How does that make you feel? The truth can hurt, but it also can heal. God not only proclaims His love for us, He proved it at Calvary. He suffered, bled and died that we might be saved. And that ain’t no lie! Rather than loving lies, listen to God—“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.“(John 8:32).
