Smashing Idols

Part 2 - Approval

THE IDOL: Approval. 

Scenario #1: You and your friends have planned to meet at the park so all your kids can play together. But all morning your child has been having behavioral issues. You text to cancel last-minute. Your friends’ kids are always so well-behaved and you don’t want to be viewed as a bad parent if the behavior problems continue at the park. 

Scenario #2: Your buddies at work make yet another degrading and inappropriate joke. It’s how they pass the time. You chuckle along because you don’t want to come across as a holier-than-thou fun-killer. Then they start complaining again about your overbearing boss and the unrealistic standards they’re expected to meet. Some really accurate points are made, so you start chiming in in agreement. To point out the positive aspects of work and the things you’re grateful for would just make your friends annoyed with you. Which in turn would give them more fuel for their jokes and complaints - all about you. 

Scenario #3: For the past month you’ve been fighting spiritual fatigue and discouragement. You’re wrestling with doubts and questions about your faith. Nothing seems to bring joy to you. You’re irritable and impatient. But more than anything you’re scared. You can’t find out why you’ve been feeling this way and what the source could be. At Community Group, the leader asks how the group can be praying for each other. You really want to share about your struggle, but can’t bring yourself to do it. Everyone else in the group always seems to have it all together, so you don’t want to be seen as the needy or immature one. 

Anyone relate? We will do a lot of things to avoid the judgement and potential rejection of other humans. (For an example in the Bible, check out Exodus 32.) It often feels so much easier to avoid situations and conversations that would even make disapproval a possibility. But I think it goes deeper than that too. It’s not just a matter of what’s easier. Human beings have a deep craving for acceptance. Our hearts ache for approval. We have an innate need to be loved. 

This longing becomes a problem when we go to the wrong source to have it fulfilled. Approval becomes an idol in our hearts when we are willing to ignore God and His Word in the name of fitting in, being respected, or appearing impressive. This idol whispers lies in our ears and gives false promises:

THE LIE: If other people are happy with me, then I will be happy. If other people are impressed with me, then I will have value. If I keep up the right image and reputation, then I will have a good life. 

We may never say those lies out loud, but how often do we live as if they are true? Living lies can be more dangerous than telling lies. Following falsehood will always lead to pain and destruction. 

We can be especially vulnerable to the lies of idols for two reasons: 1) They are so close to the truth. And 2) they play on our deepest needs and desires. A friend once told me, “Satan serves lies on a platter of truth.” It is true that humans need approval. That is a built-in feature. But it is a lie that we need approval from other people. We need approval from one Person - not a merely human person. We need approval from God Himself. 

The beautiful truth is that God doesn’t ask us to get rid of our need for approval. He asks us to run to Him alone to have that need met. So here is what the gospel says about the idol of approval:

THE GOSPEL: You don’t need to search for people’s approval, because you already have approval from GOD!! Jesus meets that need better than anything else could. He earns God’s approval on our behalf. 

This truth is the only way to combat the lie. The more we cherish the good news; the more we soak it into our bones; the more we remind ourselves of gospel reality; the more we will overcome and destroy the idol of approval. 

We don’t have to wade through this life in a puddle of insecurity. We can stand confident before the very throne of God because we are righteous. “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” - 2 Corinthians 5:21. Now we can face human interactions with faithfulness to God above all else. We can risk being judged and rejected by people, because we know we will never be judged and rejected by God. 

“The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.” - Proverbs 29:25

– Matt Karr