Who Are You Seeking To Please?

The apostle Paul in defense of his apostleship asked a couple of thought provoking questions in Galatians chapter one. He asked, “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.” This passage should make each of us stop and contemplate the answer. John referred to those who refused to confess Christ for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God John. 12:42-43. When Pilate saw that he could not change the peoples mind about Jesus, he washed his hands claiming to be clean, and to please the people he turned Jesus over to them to be put to death (Matthew 27:24). Who was Peter seeking to please in Galatians chapter two when he would associate with the Gentiles when the Jews were not around, but, when the Jews were around, he would disassociate himself from the Gentiles verses 11-21. We to must be careful as to whom we are seeking to please.

Some people are concerned with pleasing no one but themselves. This is what we call selfishness, old number one is all that matters. This type person will act and do most anything to have his or her way. If they do not get their way they pout. In first Kings chapter twenty-one, the story is told of Ahab king of Israel who wanted a vineyard that Naboth owned by inheritance. When Naboth refused to trade it to Ahab, Ahab went home heavy and displeased. He went in, laid upon his bed and turned his face to the wall. The refusal by Naboth cost him his life. David is another example of selfishness in Second Samuel eleven. David having seen Bathsheba bathing inquired her identity. Having been informed that she was the wife of Uriah the Hittite, David sent for her and committed adultery with her. If this wasn’t enough sin, David had Uriah killed to cover up his ungodly deed. Who do you think David was seeking to please? Some today, even in the Lord’s Kingdom are selfish. This attitude surfaces in various ways. Some want worship designed to please them rather than God. Others may want something done to pacify and please their children without consideration of authorization principle or without due consideration of the other children of the congregation. Still others may oppose a preacher being kept or hired or perhaps an elder being appointed because of some personal reason with consideration of biblical considerations.

To other people family is all that matters. This is not to suggest that family is not important, for they are very important, but they are not the main one they should be seeking to please. The Lord wants us to put Him first (Matthew 10:37). How many times have you heard the expression “my mother and daddy were such and such religion and I will remain such and such as long as I live”. You may have witnessed someone leave a sound congregation because family wasn’t happy and go to a congregation that was unsound or a denominational group because the family liked it there. How many have left the Lord’s church because they either married a denominational person or an infidel and to please their mate they departed. Who is seeking to be pleased? Is God really first in our lives?

There are those who pleasing their friends are most important. Acceptance is a powerful tool. Often in a school setting, if certain children will not accept another child, that child will often turn to another group, and far too often the wrong group. In churches if young people are not accepted into the young people’s group they will go where they will be accepted. We see this far too often. Whatever group they find themselves, they desire to please those with whom they associate. Friends are a good thing, if they are the right kind. To have friends one must be friendly (Proverbs 18:24). They are the wrong type of friends (1 Corinthians 15:33). American Standard Version “Evil companionships corrupt good morals”. How were these morals corrupted? By their friends influence and the desire of the one influenced to please. One would be wise to heed the Wisdom of Solomon in this regard “He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will be destroyed” (Proverbs 13:20). The desire of any Christian should be to please the Lord more than their friends. If one has a proper love for God they will chose their friends wisely, make their decisions carefully, keep their focus clearly and desire to please their Lord and Savior completely. If one is truly committed to God, pleasing his friends will not be of primary importance, pleasing their Lord will.

This brings us to the final consideration in this article. Who are you trying to please, yourself, your family, your friends or the Lord? Jesus is a perfect example of who we are to please. Jesus said in relation to the father “…I do always those things that please him” (John 8:29). Paul reminded the Thessalonian Christians that their responsibility was to please the Lord, “ Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more” (1 Thessalonians 4:1). If one puts God first, the primary consideration will not be self, family or friends, but the heavenly father and His son Jesus Christ. Let us examine ourselves to see who we are really trying to please.

Bill Cantrell