Our Scripture reading today is 2 Timothy 2:15, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
Whom do you seek approval from? Humanly speaking, there are many different people in each of our lives that we could be seeking approval from. The Apostle Paul admonishes Timothy to seek to be approved by God. As a pastor, Timothy could be drawn to seek the approval of the people who attended the church he pastored. This would be a natural goal for Timothy or any pastor. The calling of a pastor is not to be a popularity contest, but to faithfully proclaim His Word.
Whether we are a pastor or are helping the pastor, it should be our daily goal to be approved by God. Others have said we should live our lives as if we have an audience of One. The faithful life is of greater importance than the popularity life. The faithful life is the one who hears, "Well done..." It may not be the most known or glamorous, but God is keeping tabs on all of His children. May our time in His Word continue to prepare us to live in His will and seek to be approved by Him!