Puffs of Smoke
A Reflective Thought
Puffs of Smoke
Isn’t it tempting to be lauded, idolized, complimented, applauded, adored?
Fantasy. Facade. Puffs of smoke if it’s being done by strangers.
Public admiration can feel like substance because the feeling itself is real. Your chest lifts. People repeat your name. They tell you how brilliant, beautiful, important, exceptional you are.
But strangers usually know only the version of you they encounter for a few minutes. Your spouse and children live close enough to know whether the substance matches the image.
There is something almost absurd about craving the applause of hundreds or thousands of strangers while the people sleeping under your own roof feel unseen.
Seek the applause of your spouse, your children. Applaud them in return.
Being appreciated is good. Being loved is good. Having your work recognized is good. The trouble starts when the praise becomes the thing you are working for, or worse, the thing you use to measure whether your life is real.
Then you can end up protecting the image instead of building the substance.
Don’t tell me you love me, adore me, when you can’t even love and applaud your own spouse who is closest to you.
What good is being adored by people who barely know you while the people closest to you are starving for your admiration?
Even our love of God is tested there, among the people we can actually see, touch, serve, forgive and live with.
Drum it into Your Thick Head so Your not Seduced By Applause
“Isn’t it tempting to be lauded, idolized, complimented, applauded, adored? Fantasy. Facade. Puffs of smoke when all of it is coming from strangers. Seek the applause of your spouse. Seek the delight of your children. Applaud them in return. What good is being adored by people who barely know you while the people closest to you are starving for your admiration? Even our love of God is tested there, among the people we can actually see, touch, serve, forgive and live with.”
