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August 11, 2008
Pleasing God, Pleasing Others
"For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men?
for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ."
Galatians 1:10
At times you will have to make a choice between pleasing God and pleasing those around you,
for God's ways are not man's ways (Isa. 55:8-9). As important as it is to strive for good
relations with others, it is even more important to maintain a steadfast and obedient
relationship with Christ. Disobeying God to keep peace with other people is never wise.
Peace with God is always paramount.
Jesus warned that obeying Him might cause division in your relationships (Matt. 10:35-36).
If Paul's primary goal had been to please others, he would never have become an apostle of
Jesus Christ. Paul went completely against the wishes of his colleagues in order to obey
Christ. At times, obedience to God sets family members at odds with each other (Matt.
10:25-26). When you follow Jesus' Lordship, your family may misunderstand, or even oppose
you, yet your obedience to God reflects your identity as His child. Jesus said that those
who obey His will are His brothers and sisters (Luke 8:21). God does not intend to divide
the home, but He places obedience before domestic harmony.
It is important to get alone in quietness with God so that you understand what pleases Him.
The world's thinking will mislead you more easily when you are not clear about what God
desires. It broke Peter's heart to know that the opinion of a servant girl had mattered
more to him than the approval of his Lord! If the desire to appease others tempts you to
compromise what you know God wants you to do, learn from Peter's mistake. Determine that
you will please your Lord regardless of the opinions of others.
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