Empty Applause

We live with more access to applause than any generation in history — and social media has turned it into an obsession. In this episode, Blake opens the wisdom of Proverbs on praise and glory, and names the tender hunger underneath our scrolling: a longing to be seen, known, and loved. Carried to the crowd, he says, it’s like living on cotton candy — sweet for a second, and somehow leaving us emptier than before.Drawing on Psalm 81:10, Psalm 107:9, and Jeremiah’s image of “broken cisterns that can hold no water,” Blake shows the trade we keep making — the living fountain for a broken cistern, the approval of God for the applause of strangers. But here’s the freedom: in Christ, the verdict we keep auditioning for has already been spoken — accepted, loved, His. The person who is full of God’s love has no need to chase the world’s applause.Follow Before the Lord on Facebook (@BeforeTheLord) and Instagram (@beforethelorddevo). Get devotionals delivered to your inbox at blakescrawford.com/sign-up, or listen anytime at blakescrawford.com/listen. Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and iHeart.