The Ultimate Commendation!

We all like to hear words of commendation. It’s nice to hear your boss say, “Good job on that project,” or the coach say, “You were a real asset to the team today,” or your spouse say, “You’re such a great husband/wife.”  Such is especially the case when it comes from a parent to a child—no matter how old that child is. 

I’ll never forget the first time my father heard me preach. It was after I had been pastoring for about five years. I had been invited back to our home church to preach.  After the service, my dad came to me and simply said, “You’re a good preacher. You’re doing what you’re supposed to be doing.” He didn’t know it at the time, but those words meant all the world to me. For sure others had commended me on my preaching, but coming my father they were quite significant. Those words having come from him, inspired me and gave me the confidence I needed at the time to keep on doing what I felt God had called me to do. 

In Matthew’s gospel we read that, after Jesus was baptized, as he came out of the water, “…a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.’” (Matthew 3:17 – NIV) In other words, Jesus’ heavenly Father stopped everything to speak over Jesus’ life words of commendation. We might paraphrase the Father’s words into our vernacular as, “Good job, Son!”  

What was it that brought about those words from heaven? For one, as the Father looked down upon Jesus and saw how he had been living and the road he was taking, he saw his Son doing exactly what he had been asked to do. In the Father’s eyes, Jesus was worthy of a commendation.  Secondly, however, I believe that God the Father knew that Jesus, in the fullness of his humanity, needed those words that he might be inspired, motivated, and given confidence to keep on moving into that which was before him—a journey that would be difficult, to say the least. God the Father knew that at that moment, Jesus needed to hear “good job” not just from those around him, but most especially from his heavenly Father. 

As wonderful as it is to receive words of commendation from the people around us—bosses, coaches, spouses, parents, etc.—I’m reminded today that the best commendation is that which comes from God our heavenly Father. There’s no other commendation that can inspire, motivate, and build confidence as does the one that comes from God. Thus, I want to live my life in such a way that he might be pleased. I want to live in such a way that he might look on my life with favor. I want to live in such a way that I might sense God himself saying to me, “This is my son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” Or simply, “Good job, son!” 

Let’s live our lives for the ultimate commendation: that which comes from our heavenly Father. 

Have a great day!

- Pastor Tim Harris