None of us can deny we love commendation. It is something we wish as often as there is an opportunity. Commendation comes from our extraordinary efforts in areas of our expertise or sometimes in untried areas. People are generally known to desire approval from their authorities and peers. It is not unheard of that commendations move people higher up the ladder. When the success is huge, the commendation too is great. For this reason we often see people marked as great in this world. Their efforts and success have not gone unnoticed. Anyone can start from nothing and become great by the approval gained from their achievements. Yet, we never see anyone become great by commending himself. It is not the way to go about. He who commends himself does not understand the wisdom behind gaining approval.
When a person commends himself, he is not right in his heart. He does it out of personal reasons and it is noticeable. This brings disapproval. An employee gains the approval of his master only by working according to his master’s wishes. Then there is something we as believers can secure here, if we want to progress richly in life. In an effort to understand it we take Paul’s wisdom of the Spirit. “For it is not he who commends himself that is approved, but he whom the Lord commends” (2 Cor. 10:18). Obviously, the greatest commendation we can get is from the Lord and it relates to how we live for him, what we do for him and how. Taking the example of an employee of a master we can figure out the ways to be approved by the Lord.
- The Lord commends only those who are His, i.e. those who are active in His grace which is by faith.
- Transformation projecting a total change signifies a person belonging to the Lord.
- Total change should amount to living by grace through faith and not works.
- Being active in grace is most significant for His commendation, since it constantly helps us realize the purpose and substance of God’s will.
- Being active in grace does not allow us to commend ourselves so we do not boast in works. Our hearts remain unadulterated away from double act.
- Just as an employee habitually listens to his master, understands him and works accordingly so we too ought to do with our Lord.
- We must trust our Master with whatever He provides us and with whatever He wishes from us so that we do not give an opportunity for the adversary to mislead us.
- We must believe our Lord does not mislead us and is with the full knowledge of our abilities and life as a whole.
- Grace by faith must have helped us realize that the Lord only commends us when we do His will and not just works.
- We must understand His commendation to us is actually a result of the glory He received or is receiving while we perform His will.
- Hence, His commendation comes in His time, which eliminates all the times we wish to bring forth a result. It means seeking His glory is our priority than seeking His commendation.
- His will comes to the called that wants to hear Him from the Word, understand the Word from His wisdom and not fail His law while performing it.