by Shaun Caudill
As a child, I loved getting as much attention drawn to me as possible (as an adult too sometimes!). My mother would encourage me to not be loud or exuberant, but I couldn’t help myself…well, I didn’t really want to. I wanted the attention! Now, as an adult, I sometimes embarrass myself because of this need. I now also have my own kids who want attention, too (sometimes embarrassing me because of the attention they draw to themselves…sorry Mom). I finally get it. My mother wasn’t just giving me her preferences about how she wanted me to live life. She was taking this truth from Scripture. Proverbs 27:2 states, “Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth; an outsider, and not your own lips.” Anyone who draws attention to themselves for the sake of being recognized, validated, or thought of as worthy is putting themselves on a throne that is not meant for them.
However, when Jesus enters Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, people cry out “Hosanna!” believing that He is the king that will save them from the Romans, heralding Him as the coming Messiah… and Jesus receives it all unflinchingly. When the Pharisees tell Jesus that He should quiet His disciples down and make them quit this spectacle, Jesus tells them that even if His disciples were quiet, the rocks would burst into praise right behind their quieted voices (Luke 19:40)! Why does Jesus do what the Proverbs tell us not to do? Because JESUS IS GOD! If He is lifted up, He will draw all people to Himself (John 12:32). Jesus will draw attention to Himself because He is the greatest good, the fulfillment of our greatest need, and the ONLY one who deserves all the attention. I have this desire to be recognized. Christ has already recognized me as His (through my faith in Him), and He accepts me completely and whole-heartedly. What more do I really need? What would happen in this world if I drew more attention to Christ than to myself? What would happen if I cared more about people acknowledging Christ instead of acknowledging me? What would happen if I cared more about Christ being known than trying to make myself known? Am I sitting on a throne meant for Christ and need to step down? Am I lifting Him up? I don’t want the rocks to take my place! Hosanna! He is worthy!!
VC Devotionals 