Galatians 4:17-18
Those false teachers are so eager to win your favor, but their intentions are not good. They are trying to shut you off from me so that you will pay attention only to them. If someone is eager to do good things for you, that’s all right; but let them do it all the time, not just when I’m with you.
Have you ever known those people, or even experienced it in a relationship, that are only nice to you when others are around. When they want all of your attention, they don’t want your attention to be taken away from them and put on someone else. It’s like when you’ve dated someone and even though you’re no longer together they don’t want you to be with anyone else. They pretend like they still want to be with you because seeing you with someone else will mean that they are no longer the one who gets most of your attention or affection. It’s a bit crazy when you think about it but it seems like some people are into wasting people’s time. #WasteHerTime2017 #WaseHisTime2017.
I believe that this is what Paul is getting into in this scripture. He’s telling the people that these false teachers only want you to follow them, they only want you to turn away from the truth that I have taught you. They want to turn your attention from me so they can gain followers in their false doctrine and teachings. Paul says two things that I want to point out. He talks about how these false teachers do not have good intentions. They want to win you over but it is not in any way in good heart. They want you for their own gain, not for what they can do for you. What I’m saying is, not everyone who is nice to you is not for you. Not everyone who smiles in your face has your best interest at heart. Sometimes people are using you to elevate themselves. There are people that only want you by thee side because they see your potential to be great and fear that you will be greater than them. It’s sad but it is true. There are many false people walking around pretending and if we are rooted in Christ discerning in the spirit we will fall right into their trap. This is not how God wants us to live, we cannot live in fear of someone else’s potential because the same God that created them and gave them a purpose is the same God that created us and gave us a purpose.
Paul then goes on to say, “If someone is eager to do good things for you, that’s all right; but let them do it all the time, not just when I’m with you.” I want to speak to the friendships and relationships with this one. If you have someone in your life that is only good to you around certain people and could care less any other time, it’s time to start cutting people out your life. We all know those people, or maybe we are that person. But we have had experiences where people only want us in their lives not because they truly love us or like us but because they don’t want us to be in someone else’s life. That is not Godly, we are not things to be possessed and disposed of when we’re no longer useless to you. It goes the other way as well, we should not treat people this way. True friends, boyfriends, or girlfriends are there for you all the time, they don’t turn their friendship or relationship on and off. Like Paul says, it’s alright if people want to do good things for you, but let them do it all the time. Let them be the same all the time. Let them do it in private just as in public. Our lives are not a show to entertain people. I feel like we have all been here, whether we have been the person doing this to someone else or it’s been done to us. Sometimes people just want us in their lives to prove something to another person.
All this to say, some people are great at telling and making up stories to get you on their side. We are not put on earth for human gain whether we are here to glorify God and expand His Kingdom, Don’t use someone else’s life for your own personal gain. Don’t be out here wasting people’s time for no reason.
Response/Prayer Time
Take the time to respond to what we discussed today. Talk to God about what we discussed. Ask Him for the spirit of discernment and ask Him to search your heart and purify it.
I love you and I hope you have an amazing day or evening! Be sure to share this with someone and come back tomorrow for Day 268!
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