Disapproval

“There is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1 NLT)

When my son was a young child, I used ‘time-outs’ as a form of discipline. When he had done something wrong, I would tell him to go sit down and think about what he had done. My hope was that this would encourage him to change his inappropriate behavior in the future. I’m not sure how well this worked. I was just copying the popular parental techniques of the time. Fortunately, my son has developed a sense of right and wrong, despite my ungracefulness.  

Although disapproval is frequently used as a form of motivation, it rarely brings about lasting transformation. Those who crave the approval of others may temporarily change their behavior in front of people. However, the condemnation of others does not cause a shift in an individual’s internal sense of morality.

The powers of darkness influence humanity to accuse, coerce, and manipulate each other. We make others feel bad in order to make them think and act in ways we prefer. This is what we learned from our ancestors, and we continue this practice. In contrast, the Spirit of God advocates for us--defending, upholding, and enabling us. Under His guidance, we can learn to support and encourage each other to grow in everlasting ways.