"He said to them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God's sight."" Luke: 16:15 NIV
Listen to Jesus' exchange with some Pharisees: "I do not accept praise from men, but I know you. I know that you do not have God's love in your hearts. I have come in my Father's name and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God?" John 5:41-44 NIV
This sums up much of our self worship and adulation and seeking of praise from others. People come in their own quirkiness and accomplishments and we readily praise and love them. Jesus saves the world and so many give him no second thought. I didn't, until he revealed himself to me, including in a dream at age 18. I thought he was a crutch for people. I found out he is so much more. We accept and look for praise from one another; it is HIGHLY valued among people. This is what the whole stardom thing is about. I would argue to some degree it is what posting for many people on Facebook is about. We want to be viewed as clever, or cute, or ironic, or outrageous; basically we want to be noticed. Now obviously I use Facebook, and I want people to read my posts or go on to read my blogs, etc. But God willing, I have not made myself an idol I worship and hope you notice. We want to see how many hits on Youtube we can get. We want viral videos. We want to be rock stars, so we invent TV shows looking for the next one. We have magazines that follow the lives of the "stars" so we can vicariously partake of their life; if only we had their praise. We want to touch stars so we can say we have been with greatness; to somehow get near someone who has received the praise of men, to be near an idol. We want their autograph. Then, we ourselves, want Andy Warhol's 15 minutes of fame. And in doing so, we make ourselves into idols looking for the praise of our fellow human beings.
The problem isn't wanting exposure, it's in wanting the praise of others. To the detriment of God's praise of us. That's why Jesus would not accept the praise of men. He did, at times, receive the praise of men, but not to the detriment of His Father's praise. He was willing to have people "hosanna" him into Jerusalem, but he was also willing to have them yell, "Crucify, crucify" soon thereafter, at the bidding of his Father. That's where we hedge. Because this praise has to do with making ourselves into idols.
Jesus taught his disciples to go into a room by themselves when they pray, and not to pray for others to notice. If they did the latter, the only answer they or we will get is that the others noticed. Maybe we impressed them; we got the praise of people. No, we should go into a room by ourselves and seek God's pleasure of us, and then God will reward us. Maybe this puts this all in the right frame: don't live your existence here for others to notice you, or praise you, but live your time here for God to take pleasure in you, live before Him alone. Then He will reward you.
Listen to this story about a man who couldn't refuse his dinner guests: "Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Phillip's wife, for John had been saying to him: "It is not lawful for you to have her." Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered him a prophet. On Herod's birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for them and pleased Herod so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. Prompted by her mother, she said: "Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist." The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted and had John beheaded in prison." Matthew 14:3-10 NIV In Mark we read this that gives more light on the situation: "For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Phillip's wife, whom he had married. For John had been saying to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife." So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him." Mark 6:17-20 NIV
So really it was Herodias that wanted John dead, and Herod was probably some hurt by his preaching, too, but we see that he had actually been protecting John. He probably knew he was right; why else consider him righteous? Herod was drawn to John. But in the situation, he said something he was unwilling to take back in front of his dinner guests, even at the cost of a man's life. That is the worship of the praise of men. We see in the first passage how he was also afraid of the people, and that he did want to kill John, but wouldn't due to the people. Herod lives his time here in complete obedience to the praise and whims of those around him.
This is something God detests: looking for the praise of people, to the exclusion of God's voice. His voice should be paramount to us, and if we happen to receive praise, then we do. But if people say "Crucify", we bear that, too, for the glory of the only praise that matters: God's praise. "Well done, you good and faithful servant."
"We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience." 2 Corinthians 5: 7-11 NIV
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