Cut Away

5.21.2011

Romans 2:29 29 No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man’s praise is not from men, but from God. NIV

What is praise from men anyway? Praise from men is their approval of your lifestyle according to the way they think, act, and speak. Praise from men is what you get when you toe the party line. Praise from men is what you get when you behave as a child of man and walk according to the principles of this world – position, possession, and performance. Praise from men, although powerfully alluring, is fickle, faulty, and feckless because it is based on man’s thinking, and man’s rules. But men stick together and men mean business when it comes to praise from one another; it's how their game is played.

But if life isn’t about playing man’s game, then what is it about? If praise from men is a charade, then what means anything? Praise from God – that’s what means something; it means everything. God looks at our hearts (all six point something billion of them) and looks to see who’s playing the game and whose heart has been cut away from the game. Circumcision is not physical and outward – who cares? Physical and outward don’t inherit the Kingdom of heaven. Circumcision that is true is the circumcision that separates our hearts from the praise and approval of mankind.

Recently, a young man at our church received what is called a Gold Medal of Achievement award from Royal Rangers (a Bible-based organization dedicated to building godly character into the lives of young men). What is so special about this is not the medal or the achievement, but the heart behind it. He did what he did, not to impress us, but to devote himself to God. Amen!

Today, I’m gonna go off to my little ol' job - but I'll have a big opportunity to win God’s praise by simply conducting myself according to the Holy Spirit, Who has circumcised my heart. The measure of my life today won’t be because of this blog, or my prayers, or anything except this: Where do I seek my praise; from God or from men?

Father in Heaven,
You aren’t interested in position, possession, or performance – all You look at is the heart. And You look to see if the separation from the world has occurred. May I walk today with my heart set on eternal things and be careful of the praise that that sounds so good and means so little that comes from men… Amen.