India, Sept. 13 -- Whose approval shapes our lives? We may seek recognition from family, appreciation at work, or admiration on social media. These desires are understandable. Yet when pleasing others becomes our highest aim, we can lose the courage to do what is right.

Paul offers Timothy a different compass: "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved" (2 Timothy 2:15). The question is not simply whether people applaud us, but whether our lives are faithful before God.

This does not mean earning God's love through religious performance. We are saved by grace through faith, not by our achievements (Ephesians 2:8-10). Good works are the fruit of that grace, not its price. Because Christ has welcomed us, we can live honestly...