The audience of one!

Do you desire credit for your work? Do you need to be recognized in front of others?**

If we are honest with ourselves, the answer to both questions would be yes. We all want our talents appreciated, and we all want recognition from others.

We live in a global world with information freely available to all. Because of our need to be appreciated and recognized, we may all be tempted to desire fame and acclaim a little too much.

Seeing your own name and photo in a newspaper or on a website can be exciting. On one occasion, a local newspaper asked if they could do a story on a project I was serving. I was surprised and annoyed when the picture and story ended up on the front page of most newspapers in my country. I was misquoted and misunderstood by the reporter.

Always remember that someone is writing a story or recording a television interview from their own perspective, and with their own agenda, not yours.

The long-term consequences can be serious. If I'm applying for a visa overseas, any country can look up my name and refuse my visa if they don’t like what they see.

We all have a need to be appreciated and recognized. Our inclination is to take credit for our successes. But doing so won't help your walk with the Lord, and it could close ministry doors in the future.

The best place to be appreciated and recognized for your calling and talents is with the Lord – the audience of one. Then share what God has done with a few people who know you best and love you the most.

Scripture to ponder – Proverbs 27:2

Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth; an outsider, and not your own lips.

Key Lesson: Don’t seek credit and recognition for yourself. Let the Holy Spirit use others, who know you well, to praise you. The Lord knows what you need!