Jesus said “I am not moved by the approval of others” * . This is not an easy thing to achieve but one that I am constantly working towards.

Jesus was not moved by the approval of others. The opinions of others did not sway Him or make Him second guess himself. He was so firmly planted that He could not be moved. Jesus knew who He was and knew exactly who His Heavenly Father was. Jesus knew His true identity. The only opinion that mattered was His Fathers, the only praise He lived for was from His Father.

I long to not be moved by the approval of others. To not let other peoples opinions sway me or throw me off my course. When I catch wind of somebody speaking negatively, their piercing words pass right by me and have no affect on me. They have no affect because, like Jesus, I know my identity, I am firmly planted and cannot be moved.

Just the other day when my son was feeling sad over the fact that the boys at school were not being so nice to him, I had to draw on the wise words of Jesus and that we can not be moved by the approval of others.

I reminded my little boy of who he really is. I reminded him that he is a child of God who is loved and wonderfully created and that he can do many amazing things. I reminded him that it does not matter what other people think of him, his Heavenly Daddy was proud of him and loves him for exactly who he is. I reminded him that those boys do not have any power over him and that he could chose to not listen to their lies and listen and know the truth of who he is. Wonderfully made and loved.

Jesus is the perfect example for us to follow. Let us not be moved by the opinions of others. Let us truly know our identity as wonderfully made and loved and that we only seek praise from the one who truly counts, our Heavenly Father.

 *John 5 v 41 from The Passion Translation