What do we do to make God proud?

Why does God think so highly of us?

Not too long ago, we were honored to be there for the proposal of our oldest daughter, Cartia, to her now-fiance, Shane. It was a picturesque scene, taking place on a bridge in a Japanese garden full of cherry blossoms and well maintained grass. They were in a public area, so onlookers cheered their public show of devotion.

Two of our children are getting married before Christmas, and our other son is celebrating his grade 12 formal, graduation, and eighteenth birthday in what promises to be a wonderful season for our whole family.

Pronouncement in front of the public

They will be “united in holy marriage for as long as they both will live” in front of family and friends on their wedding day.

Their mother may shed a tear of joy at this public proclamation, which will be celebrated by everyone in attendance and by those who join their festivities from afar.

Weddings, marches, holiday celebrations, and demonstrations are just a few examples of public pronouncements. Both need the speaker to be confident enough in their current beliefs to proclaim them to the world without hesitation.

It makes me think of “Not Ashamed,” a hit from the 1990s by Christian pop band The Newsboys. Years ago, I went to their event and heard these lines spoken unabashedly with vigor and fervor while strobe lights whirled around a bouncing, pounding throng all singing:

No embarrassment on my part in telling you this:

To let this inner brilliance shine

It’s a name I feel comfortable saying.

Christ Jesus’

The reason for our covert actions is unclear.

With whom are we seeking to curry favor?

Accepting responsibility, saying sorry

As if we were a contagious sickness

When I say “no way,” I mean it.

From the looks of it, this one gives up hope.

Don’t share your life’s story until it’s Sunday morning.

You should wait, as stated in the other versions.

Hold off on making any major decisions until you’ve done some market analysis.

I firmly reject this notion.

Should we still have this much confidence in ourselves?

It’s not hard to belt it out in a concert like that. I feel very comfortable speaking my mind in front of a huge audience, but are we still this confident in our day-to-day interactions? Or have we been rendered powerless and insignificant by modern society’s insistence that we should see all experiences as positive?

Steve Penny, senior pastor of Epic Church, says:

This generation is damaged and lost, yet they are yearning for truth at a time when the contemporary church is in risk of losing ground to the seductive awakened doctrines of progressive Christianity.

Jesus asks us to be a beacon of hope for a world still reeling from the turmoil of the previous several years.

This is not the time to keep one’s talents hidden.

I assure you, whomever openly recognizes me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God,” which is found in Luke 12:8. But anybody who publicly denounces me will be rejected by God’s heavenly hosts.

To find out what makes God most pleased with us, we need only look at this. Man is not a greater threat than God. It may be difficult, and you may not always be accepted by your peers, but I believe that eternal life is worth the price, and I think you probably do, too.

Then, remember what Jesus said in Matthew 5:14-16: “You are the light of the world. A town that has a hilltop location is impossible to conceal. Similarly, you won’t see somebody lighting a lamp to place beneath a dish. In its place, they’ve set it up on its stand, which now illuminates the whole home. Let your good acts be known so that people might praise your heavenly Father because of you.