As I watch the Detroit Tigers on television, the roar of the crowd is deafening. Every hit, catch and run is applauded by the fans with Tiger towels waving from the stands. Sometimes applause excites and spurs us into action. Certainly the roaring crowds at any sporting event is energizing and motivating to the players.

We live in a world where popularity, fame and recognition are worshiped, applauded. Our worth and happiness is based upon our popularity status with the masses. A performer’s ambition becomes driven by the applause. There is a need recognize every performance, effort and exhibition of commitment as

Look no further than Lady Gaga’s latest release, APPLAUSE.

“I live for the applause, applause, applause
I live for the applause-plause, live for the applause-plause
Live for the way that cheer and scream for me
The applause, applause, applause.”

If we live our life for applause, what happens when the applause fades; when we grow old, when beauty loses luster and our agile bones become brittle and broken? Make no mistake, it will happen. At some point in time, we will each face the question, “Whose applause did I live for?”

“They loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.” (John 12:43)

I challenge you to identify your audience.  When the standing ovations and applause of our life performance is over and recognition and kudos are no longer remembered, what will be God’s final verdict of our worthiness? Did you live for men and the attention of others, or for the thunderous applause of Heaven? The eternal things are all that matters at the end of life.

The moment that an obsession with self-love becomes the focus of our life, we should access the directives that motivate our need for applause. When we are empowered by human limelight, we are destined for a fall. There is only one “limelight” and He is not subject to our love of self. His name is Jesus.

To seek the praise of men over the praise of God is reckless. Any hand-clapping ripples of applause or standing ovations should be based on nothing less than appreciation.