Daily Devotional – Saturday, October 24, 2026
Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for so did their fathers to the false prophets.
Luke 6:26 (NKJV)
In 1 Kings 22:6–28, there is an intriguing story involving two kings. King Ahab of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah are about to go to war together. Jehoshaphat wants to know whether God approves this initiative and calls for a prophet. Ahab summons his 400 prophets, who always prophesy favourably for him, and that’s precisely what happens.
The Cost of Being Liked
Jehoshaphat is cautious, though. He asks for another prophet to be consulted. Ahab knows prophet Micaiah is available but is reluctant to consult this seer because “he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.” (Verse 8). In contrast, the 400 prophets of Ahab enjoyed his protection because they told him what he wanted to hear, even when they were lying to him.
Jesus is likely to have been referring to such cases and other instances of false prophets receiving praise for pleasing people with fake prophecies when He spoke the words in today’s key text. The Lord was speaking about the large issue of society rejecting, persecuting, and excluding His followers.
What If Everyone Likes You?
There is nothing wrong with having a positive reputation. We must strive to live in peace with all people. None of us hate being recognised. The question we need to ask ourselves is, why are people praising me? Is it for doing the right thing before God or for compromising my values? You can’t please everyone, and if you try, you sacrifice your principles for popularity.
Take a moment today to contemplate your faith journey. How often do you shy away from taking a stand for God because you want to please a friend, workmate, spouse, employer, and so on? Would you rather that human beings speak well of you or that you find favour with God? Is popularity more important to you than fidelity to God?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, forgive me for the times I have compromised my relationship with you because I wanted people to speak well of me. Always remind me to prioritise pleasing You above all else, for that is what truly matters.
