A Norvell Note:  Faithfulness and Love

November 8, 2026 – Vol. 30 No. 41

We want to be loved and respected. We want to be admired. We want to be recognized for our accomplishments and praised for our achievements. We want to be applauded for doing our job.

You can see evidence of this desire for approval and recognition all over social media. “Look at our new home, here’s what my child did, and see how important I am.” You see it in athletics when a player makes a great play, or a team scores a touchdown. I post these articles and check the next day to see if anyone posted a “like” or a “share.”  

A major part of the philosophy of any election campaign is convincing voters that they are better than their opponent and why. The candidate is seeking approval.

There is a different way to gain respect and admiration of the people around us, but have we considered how God wants us to win favor?

Let love and faithfulness never leave you;

    bind them around your neck,

    write them on the tablet of your heart.

Then you will win favor and a good name

    in the sight of God and man. (Proverbs 3:3-4)

Whose approval are you seeking? Who are you trying to impress? And how are we trying to gain their favor? 

Let’s strive to win favor with God and man by clothing ourselves with love and faithfulness.

I love you.

Tom

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2026 Tom Norvell. All Rights Reserved