Lady Gaga latest song comes right out and says it. Why does she do everything she does? The Applause. Listen to the words,
I live for the applause, applause, applause
I live for the applause-plause
Live for the applause-plause
Live for the way that you cheer and scream for me.The applause, applause, applause
Give me that thing that I love (I’ll turn the lights on)
Put your hands up, make ’em touch, touch (make it real loud)
Give me that thing that I love (I’ll turn the lights on)
Put your hands up, make ’em touch, touch (make it real loud)
It would not be hard to make the case that Gaga is looking for some sort of approval that was missing in her family life. But truthfully, aren’t we all living for the applause of someone or another? Our parents? Our boss? Our friends?
And in one sense I suppose this is only natural. But there is a real danger lurking in all this desiring of applause. We can end up doing what gets us the applause of whoever we desire to have it from rather than truly living our lives as God’s holy people. Listen to the book of Galatians:
Galatians 1:8-10 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ
The last sentence gets to the heart of it. Our seeking the applause from others can leave us no longer even wanting the applause of our Lord. We stop being his servants and instead serve whoever’s approval we seek.
In our culture, these clashes are getting more and more obvious. Do we seek the approval of our stuff-obsessed neighbors or seek the kingdom of God in contentment? Do we seek the applause of our proudly gay cousin or that of God. So we seek the approval of our authority-slighting friends or stand firm in the faith seeking to obey those placed over us? The questions could go on forever.
It is wise that we would ask, “Whose applause do we seek ultimately?†All other’s cheers will soon fade away, but the favor of the Father is eternal.
We must return to him in repentance and seek such favor. And thanks be to God, his applause is ours because his Son has assured the favor of the Father for us by his death and resurrection. He did it that the applause of the Father might rest us us now and for all eternity. Now that is applause worthy of our desires.
