the power to give glory ...

"Imagine how much a man's life would be changed if trusted that he was loved by God? He could interact with the poor and not show partiality, he could love his wife easily and not expect her to redeem him, he would be slow to anger because redemption was no longer at stake, he could be wise and giving with his money because money no longer represented points, he could give up on formulaic religion, knowing that checking stuff off a spiritual to-do list was a worthless pursuit, he would have confidence and the ability to laugh at himself, and he could love people without expecting anything in return. It would be quite beautiful, really ... I bring this up only to say there is a certain freedom in getting our feelings of redemption from God and not other people. This what we have always wanted, isn't it? And it isn't the American dream at all, it is the human dream, the deepest desire of our hearts. I would imagine, then, that the repentance we are called to is about choosing one audience over another. Jesus says many times in the gospel that he knows the heart of man, and the heart of man does not have the power to give glory. I think Jesus is saying, Look, you guys are running around like monkeys trying to get people to clap, but people are fallen, they are separated from God, so they have no idea what is good or bad, worthy to be judged or set free, beautiful or ugly to begin with. Why not get your glory from God? Why not accept your feelings of redemption because of his pleasure in you, not the fickle and empty favor of man? And only then will you know who you are, and only then will you have true, uninhibited relationships with others." (From Searching for God Knows What by Donald Miller)