Who Are You Trying to Please?
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Who Are You Really Trying to Please?
Have you ever found yourself changing your opinion, your words, or even your behavior depending on who you're around? One moment you're this person at church, another person at work, and yet someone different with your family. We've all been there - caught in the exhausting cycle of trying to make everyone happy, trying to fit in, trying to be accepted.
The truth is, we live in a world that constantly demands our approval-seeking attention. Social media has amplified this to unprecedented levels, where we measure our worth in likes, shares, and comments. But this struggle isn't new. Even in ancient times, people grappled with the tension between pleasing others and staying true to their calling.
The Dangerous Trap of Human Approval
There's something deeply wired in us that craves acceptance. We want to belong. We want to be loved. We want to hear that we're doing a great job, that we look good, that we matter. This isn't inherently wrong - God created us as social beings who thrive in community. The danger comes when seeking human approval becomes our primary motivation.
When we make pleasing people our main goal, three devastating things happen:
First, we compromise our faith. The moment we become more concerned with whether someone will accept our message than whether it's true, we've already lost. We water down the gospel, reshape it to make it more palatable, more acceptable. But here's the sobering reality: 99% truth is still 100% lie. The enemy doesn't need us to completely abandon truth - he just needs us to compromise it slightly, to question whether God really meant what He said.
Second, we chase something that constantly changes. People's opinions are like waves on the ocean - constantly shifting, never stable. Think about the crowds in Jerusalem during Jesus's final week. On Sunday, they shouted "Hosanna!" and praised Him as He entered the city. By Friday, many of those same voices were screaming "Crucify Him!" If we base our lives on pleasing people whose opinions fluctuate with their moods, we'll find ourselves exhausted and adrift.
Third, we lose sight of God's call. When our eyes are fixed on what others think, we can't see where God is leading. Those small compromises we make to fit in, to avoid conflict, to maintain relationships - they add up. One day we wake up feeling distant from God, wondering how we got so far off course. It wasn't one big decision; it was a thousand small choices to seek human approval over divine direction.
The Biblical Perspective
Scripture addresses this tension beautifully. In Colossians 3:23-24, we're reminded: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."
This verse reframes everything. Our audience isn't ultimately our boss, our spouse, our friends, or our social media followers. Our audience is Christ. When we understand this, it changes how we approach every task, every conversation, every decision.
But here's where it gets interesting: Paul also wrote about becoming "all things to all people" for the sake of the gospel. He talked about pleasing everyone in every way, not seeking his own good but the good of many. So which is it? Should we please people or not?
The Healthy Way to Connect
The key lies in motivation. There's a healthy way to meet people where they are, and there's an unhealthy way to compromise who you are.
Healthy people-pleasing happens when:
This might mean joining a fantasy football league not because you love fantasy football, but because it gives you weekly contact with people who need to see Christ's love. It might mean attending community events, learning about topics that interest your neighbors, or simply being present in spaces where believers are rarely found.
The Critical Question
So here's the question we must constantly ask ourselves: Who is my audience? Am I managing my reputation, or am I fulfilling my calling? Am I trying to maintain relationships at the cost of truth, or am I strategically building relationships to share truth?
When we stand before God, He won't ask us how many people liked us. He won't measure our success by how well we fit in or how carefully we avoided offending anyone. He'll ask whether we were faithful to what He called us to do.
Romans 15:1-2 provides beautiful balance: "We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up." Notice the qualifier - for their good, to build them up. Not to gain their approval, not to avoid conflict, but to genuinely serve them.
Living It Out
The reality is that you cannot please everyone all the time. Even Jesus, who was perfect, faced constant criticism. Some thought He was too radical; others thought He wasn't radical enough. Some accused Him of being too strict; others said He was too lenient. You will face the same mixed reviews.
But here's what you can do: You can be the same person wherever you go. Your character in the church building can match your character in the workplace. Your language, your integrity, your kindness - these can remain constant whether you're with believers or unbelievers, whether someone's watching or not.
You have a circle of influence that no one else has. There are people in your life who will never walk into a church building, who will never pick up a Bible, who will never listen to a Christian podcast. But they'll watch you. They'll see how you handle stress, how you treat others, how you respond to difficulty. You might be the only example of Christ they ever encounter.
The Choice Before Us
First Corinthians 10:31-33 reminds us: "Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble... Even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved."
There it is - the motivation that changes everything. Not seeking our own good. Not protecting our reputation. Not maintaining our comfort. But seeking the good of many, that they may be saved.
This world has enough pain, enough stress, enough division. What if believers became known not for our judgmentalism or our compromises, but for being people who genuinely uplift others? What if we were so secure in Christ's approval that we could love people freely, without needing anything back from them?
The hymn says it well: "Though none go with me, still I will follow." There may be times when obedience costs you relationships, when following Christ means standing alone. But there's a deeper truth - you're never truly alone when you're walking with God.
So today, examine your motivations. Who are you really trying to please? Where do you need to stop compromising? Where do you need to be more strategic in building bridges? The answer to both questions starts with fixing your eyes on Christ, the author and perfecter of your faith, and letting His approval be enough.
Have you ever found yourself changing your opinion, your words, or even your behavior depending on who you're around? One moment you're this person at church, another person at work, and yet someone different with your family. We've all been there - caught in the exhausting cycle of trying to make everyone happy, trying to fit in, trying to be accepted.
The truth is, we live in a world that constantly demands our approval-seeking attention. Social media has amplified this to unprecedented levels, where we measure our worth in likes, shares, and comments. But this struggle isn't new. Even in ancient times, people grappled with the tension between pleasing others and staying true to their calling.
The Dangerous Trap of Human Approval
There's something deeply wired in us that craves acceptance. We want to belong. We want to be loved. We want to hear that we're doing a great job, that we look good, that we matter. This isn't inherently wrong - God created us as social beings who thrive in community. The danger comes when seeking human approval becomes our primary motivation.
When we make pleasing people our main goal, three devastating things happen:
First, we compromise our faith. The moment we become more concerned with whether someone will accept our message than whether it's true, we've already lost. We water down the gospel, reshape it to make it more palatable, more acceptable. But here's the sobering reality: 99% truth is still 100% lie. The enemy doesn't need us to completely abandon truth - he just needs us to compromise it slightly, to question whether God really meant what He said.
Second, we chase something that constantly changes. People's opinions are like waves on the ocean - constantly shifting, never stable. Think about the crowds in Jerusalem during Jesus's final week. On Sunday, they shouted "Hosanna!" and praised Him as He entered the city. By Friday, many of those same voices were screaming "Crucify Him!" If we base our lives on pleasing people whose opinions fluctuate with their moods, we'll find ourselves exhausted and adrift.
Third, we lose sight of God's call. When our eyes are fixed on what others think, we can't see where God is leading. Those small compromises we make to fit in, to avoid conflict, to maintain relationships - they add up. One day we wake up feeling distant from God, wondering how we got so far off course. It wasn't one big decision; it was a thousand small choices to seek human approval over divine direction.
The Biblical Perspective
Scripture addresses this tension beautifully. In Colossians 3:23-24, we're reminded: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."
This verse reframes everything. Our audience isn't ultimately our boss, our spouse, our friends, or our social media followers. Our audience is Christ. When we understand this, it changes how we approach every task, every conversation, every decision.
But here's where it gets interesting: Paul also wrote about becoming "all things to all people" for the sake of the gospel. He talked about pleasing everyone in every way, not seeking his own good but the good of many. So which is it? Should we please people or not?
The Healthy Way to Connect
The key lies in motivation. There's a healthy way to meet people where they are, and there's an unhealthy way to compromise who you are.
Healthy people-pleasing happens when:
- You're building someone up and encouraging them through difficulty
- Your actions are motivated by genuine love for the person
- You're seeking the good of humanity and the advancement of God's kingdom
- Your focus remains on Christ while you strategically position yourself to share His love
This might mean joining a fantasy football league not because you love fantasy football, but because it gives you weekly contact with people who need to see Christ's love. It might mean attending community events, learning about topics that interest your neighbors, or simply being present in spaces where believers are rarely found.
The Critical Question
So here's the question we must constantly ask ourselves: Who is my audience? Am I managing my reputation, or am I fulfilling my calling? Am I trying to maintain relationships at the cost of truth, or am I strategically building relationships to share truth?
When we stand before God, He won't ask us how many people liked us. He won't measure our success by how well we fit in or how carefully we avoided offending anyone. He'll ask whether we were faithful to what He called us to do.
Romans 15:1-2 provides beautiful balance: "We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up." Notice the qualifier - for their good, to build them up. Not to gain their approval, not to avoid conflict, but to genuinely serve them.
Living It Out
The reality is that you cannot please everyone all the time. Even Jesus, who was perfect, faced constant criticism. Some thought He was too radical; others thought He wasn't radical enough. Some accused Him of being too strict; others said He was too lenient. You will face the same mixed reviews.
But here's what you can do: You can be the same person wherever you go. Your character in the church building can match your character in the workplace. Your language, your integrity, your kindness - these can remain constant whether you're with believers or unbelievers, whether someone's watching or not.
You have a circle of influence that no one else has. There are people in your life who will never walk into a church building, who will never pick up a Bible, who will never listen to a Christian podcast. But they'll watch you. They'll see how you handle stress, how you treat others, how you respond to difficulty. You might be the only example of Christ they ever encounter.
The Choice Before Us
First Corinthians 10:31-33 reminds us: "Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble... Even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved."
There it is - the motivation that changes everything. Not seeking our own good. Not protecting our reputation. Not maintaining our comfort. But seeking the good of many, that they may be saved.
This world has enough pain, enough stress, enough division. What if believers became known not for our judgmentalism or our compromises, but for being people who genuinely uplift others? What if we were so secure in Christ's approval that we could love people freely, without needing anything back from them?
The hymn says it well: "Though none go with me, still I will follow." There may be times when obedience costs you relationships, when following Christ means standing alone. But there's a deeper truth - you're never truly alone when you're walking with God.
So today, examine your motivations. Who are you really trying to please? Where do you need to stop compromising? Where do you need to be more strategic in building bridges? The answer to both questions starts with fixing your eyes on Christ, the author and perfecter of your faith, and letting His approval be enough.
Posted in hope, Practical Faith
Posted in #practicalfaith, #encounterGod, #lacrossecommunityCOTN, #pastorstevenlarrabee
Posted in #practicalfaith, #encounterGod, #lacrossecommunityCOTN, #pastorstevenlarrabee
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