Page 26 The Lord leads His children as a Shepherd, a King, and a Father. As a Shepherd, He leads us into green pastures and out of danger. But He allows great freedom of choice within the green pastures. As a King, He gives His people spiritual principles by which to govern their lives. But these principles are very broad and allow for much freedom of choice. As a Father, He provides lots of instruction to His children when they are young. But then He expects them to mature. And part of maturity is the ability to make decisions that are in harmony with God’s mind and heart. The Crucial Need for Understanding Psalm 32:8-9 underscores the point I’m trying to make. The Lord says through the Psalmist, I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with my eye. Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding, which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, else they will not come near you. (NKJV) The horse and the mule have no understanding. They have no discernment. They have no judgment. Because they have no understanding, they must be pulled with the bit and the bridal, left and right, and told where to go in every circumstance. The Lord tells
1. Human approval is divided. Some like you, others dislike you. A split vote. Who can you believe?
2. Human approval is shallow. None of them know your deepest heart. What if they did?
3. Human approval is distorted. Your friends overlook many failings. Your enemies can’t see anything right with you. How do you sort it all out?
4. Human approval is unsatisfying. The need of your heart for belovedness goes far beyond anything another sinner can say or do.
Ray Ortlund