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The young boy (we’ll call him Cody) did his best to follow his mother’s instructions as he cleaned his room.

One final glance made him proud. Job done. But not well done according to his mother. “Your bedspread is crooked and wrinkled. The trashcan needs to be emptied, and I see toys sticking out from under your bed that you obviously tried to stash out of sight instead of putting them away.”

The boy’s shoulders slumped as she continued to pick his efforts apart. He was devastated.

As Cody got older, he realized he could never please her. Even the best efforts were never enough. He longed to hear the words, “Good job,” but they never came. He finally gave up.

When Cody graduated and went to work for a small engineering firm, he decided to try again. He worked hard, put in extra hours, and went above and beyond what was expected of him. Again, he felt proud of his accomplishments. But would it be enough?

After only three weeks, his boss came to him and said, “Son, you are doing well. You have a great work ethic, and I’m proud to have you on my team.” As he turned to leave, he said, “Good job. Really good job.”

We all long to hear those words. To have the approval of others. The good news is God already approves of us. He honors our best efforts and never picks us apart. When we mess up, He gives us many more chances—encouraging and applauding us as we try again.

Be obedient to God’s Word. Do everything you do as unto Him. One day you will hear those cherished words, “Well done, my good and faithful servant . . . let’s celebrate.”

(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)

(For more devotions, visit Christian Devotions.)