Choosing Eternity Over Applause: Learning from Jesus in John 6

You know that feeling after you have done a really good job?

Maybe you finally nail that cookie recipe and everyone raves about it during your family gathering. Or you speak at an event and it clearly connects with the crowd. There is a warmth to that moment. A sense of accomplishment. A desire to soak in the affirmation.

I am a theatre person, so performing is my jam. On nights when I crack the joke just right and the whole show has to pause because the audience is laughing so hard, that is the kind of moment I love. As our generation says, I live for that moment.

Jesus had a lot of moments like that during His earthly ministry. His words held authority. His compassion drew crowds. His miracles left people speechless.

One of these moments happened during the feeding of the five thousand in John 6:1-15. A massive crowd had gathered to see Him. With only five loaves of bread and two fish, He miraculously provided enough food to feed thousands. People were amazed. Their hearts were stirred. Their expectations were growing.

John 6:15 tells us what they were ready to do next:

“Perceiving then that they were about to come and take Him by force to make him King, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by Himself” (ESV).

The Moment He Could Have Taken the Crown

The people wanted to make Jesus King. Not someday. Not in the fullness of God’s timing. Right then. Right there. By force.

They were hungry for a political deliverer. A ruler who would restore Israel. A king who would overthrow Rome. And Jesus was the fulfillment of the long-awaited prophecy that a King from the line of David would come and rule forever (Luke 1:32-33).

In human logic, this was the perfect moment. It looked like success. It looked like influence. It looked like destiny.

But how did Jesus respond?

He withdrew.

Choosing Obedience Over Applause

Let us be honest. If Jesus had allowed them to crown Him in that moment, He could have bypassed the path of suffering. He could have avoided betrayal, trial, and crucifixion. He could have ruled as a king among men without facing the cross.

But He did not.

Why?

Because He was submitted to the will of His Father (John 14:31). His life was ordered by divine purpose, not public approval. In choosing the harder road, He fulfilled the plan of salvation. He made a way for us to know Him, to be forgiven, and to receive eternal life.

In choosing not to live for the moment, Jesus gave us access to eternity.

His humility changed everything.

What Do We Do With Our “Crowns”?

Revelation 4:10-11 gives a beautiful scene in Heaven where elders fall before Jesus and cast their crowns at His feet. These crowns represent honor, achievement, and reward. Yet in the presence of Jesus, the only fitting response is worship.

This image gives us a guide for our own lives.

Our victories are not accidents. Our talents are not our own. Our wins are not meant to end in our praise.

They are opportunities to glorify Jesus.

They are crowns we lay down.

So the next time you feel the pull of applause, affirmation, or recognition, pause. Remember Christ on the mountain choosing obedience instead of fame. Remember the elders casting their crowns. Remember that earthly glory fades and eternal glory remains.

A Simple Prayer to Close Your Heart Around

God, thank You for every opportunity, gift, and moment of joy You have given. Help me remember that every crown belongs at Your feet. Teach me to choose obedience over applause and eternity over the moment. Keep my heart humble and my purpose aligned with Yours. Amen.