I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith. (Romans 1: 16-17 NIV)
The Christian life is meant to be lived for an audience of one—God Himself. Our ultimate aim is not the approval of people, but faithfulness to Him. Yet we must recognize a practical reality: the people we assign value to will shape how we think and act. Whoever we allow to influence us—whether friends, culture, or leaders—will quietly begin to define what we pursue, what we avoid, and what we consider success.
This is why clarity about our audience matters. If we give too much weight to human approval, we will drift toward pleasing people rather than honoring God. But when we consciously place Him at the center, His standards begin to override every competing voice. The goal is not isolation from others, but alignment—surrounding ourselves with influences that reinforce, rather than compete with, a life lived before God. When He is truly our audience, everything else finds its proper place.
God Bless!
Rev. Josh Dickinson
