The commendation that counts
Paul on self-commendation
Rival leaders in Corinth were commending themselves — measuring themselves by themselves, building reputations on their own press releases. Paul refuses to compete on those terms: it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.
The applause of the crowd and the verdict of your own ego are both unreliable judges. There is finally only one commendation that will matter, and it is not the one you write for yourself.
“For it isn't he who commends himself who is approved, but whom the Lord commends.”
— Paul, to the Corinthians — 2 Corinthians 10:18 (WEB)
Live for the Lord's well done, not your own press. Self-commendation and crowd-applause are both unreliable judges; his verdict is the only one that lasts.
“Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.”
Paul could ignore both flattery and slander because his sense of approval was fixed on a verdict not yet rendered. A leader formed here stops outsourcing his worth to the audience or to his own ego and waits for the Master's assessment. This produces remarkable steadiness — neither inflated by praise nor crushed by criticism. The inner work is living before an audience of One.
Make decisions for what is right and faithful, not for what will play well or protect your image. Refuse to build your team's culture on self-promotion and comparison; reward substance over spin. When praise or criticism comes, weigh it, but do not let it become your master. Keep the team's eyes on the final well done rather than the next quarter's applause.
Leaders drift toward managing their reputation — curating how they look to the crowd or reassuring themselves with their own narrative — and mistake it for leadership. The blind spot is working hard for a commendation, just not the Lord's.
Notice this week the moments you act mainly to look good or to win approval. In one such moment, deliberately choose the faithful action over the impressive one, and quietly aim it at the Lord's well done instead of the room's applause.
A leader who lives for the crowd's approval will be jerked around by it; a leader who lives for his own ego will believe his own publicity. Both are building on sand. Paul anchors everything on a single future verdict — the Lord's well done.
Whose approval are you actually working for — and how would your decisions change if you were living for one verdict alone?