Whose Opinion Matters Most?

[Whose Opinion Matters Most?]( Current Teaching Series [Building a Better Future]( [Listen to Today's Broadcast]( [Whose Opinion Matters Most?]( By Rick Warren — 11/23/2022 [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Pinterest]( [Email](mailto:?subject=I'd like to share a Daily Devotional from Pastor Rick with you&body= “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven.” Matthew 5:11-12 (NIV) When people criticize you for living a life that is pleasing to God, remember: You have a great reward waiting for you in heaven. The Bible says, “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven” (Matthew 5:11-12 NIV). Focusing on eternity is the antidote to insult and ridicule. Why? Because the opinions of others won’t last. Their disapproval won’t last. Yes, you can listen to their opinions, but don’t overvalue what they say. The only thing that will last is God’s church. Only God’s family will be in heaven forever. That’s why you don’t want to waste your life worrying about what people say about you. Instead, God wants you to spend your days doing the things that please him—using the gifts, talents, and abilities he’s given you to worship him and make an eternal difference with your life. If God likes what you’re doing, then you know you’re doing the right thing. Imagine how simplified your life would be if you lived for an audience of One! But so often you care too much about what people think, and you put yourself at the mercy of their judgments. If someone thinks you’re a loser, then you must be a loser. If someone thinks you’re odd, then you must be odd. I don’t want to live that way—do you? The truth is, you won’t be in heaven one minute when you’ll say, “Why did I worry so much about what other people thought about me?” As the apostle Paul said, “What I want is God’s approval! Am I trying to be popular with people? If I were still trying to do so, I would not be a servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10 GNT). Today, instead of living for the approval of people, live for the joy of heaven. And know that your reward in heaven will be great when your only concern on Earth is to please God. [PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>]( Talk It Over - In what ways do other people’s opinions have control over you? How do you live differently because you fear what they think of you? - How does living only for God’s approval simplify your life? - What one habit can you develop that will help you focus on doing things throughout your day that please God? The post [Whose Opinion Matters Most?]( appeared first on [Pastor Rick's Daily Hope](. 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[LEARN MORE]( [Complete Audio Series (Purchase)]( Includes 6 full-length messages from Pastor Rick's series Building a Better Future. [LEARN MORE]( [Series Summary]( Message 1: Making a Plan to Improve Your Life Message 2: Enlisting Support for Your Dream Message 3: Getting People to Work Together Message 4: How to Handle Insults and Ridicule Message 5: When You Feel Like Giving Up Message 6: How to Earn the Respect of Others [PLAY TODAY'S BROADCAST]( Pastor Rick Warren [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Linkedin]( Enjoy today's devotional? Listen to Pastor Rick’s daily audio teaching at [PastorRick.com]( Did someone forward this devotional to you? [Subscribe to Pastor Rick Warren's Daily Devotional.]( As the founding pastor of Saddleback Church with his wife Kay, Dr. Rick Warren leads a 30,000-member congregation in California with campuses in major cities around the world. As an author, his book [The Purpose Driven Life]( is one of the best-selling nonfiction books in publishing history. It has been translated into 74 languages and sold more than 50 million copies in all formats. His book [The Purpose Driven Church]( was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the century. Rick also founded [The PEACE Plan]( to address five global issues—spiritual emptiness, self-serving leadership, poverty, disease, and illiteracy—through the power of ordinary people in the local church. You can listen to Pastor Rick’s Daily Hope, his daily 25-minute audio teaching, and sign up for his free daily devotionals at [PastorRick.com](. © 2022 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission. You can unsubscribe by clicking the link below. Sent to: {EMAIL} [Unsubscribe]( Pastor Rick's Daily Hope, 23182 Arroyo Vista, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688, United States