(The following is the August 18 devotional from my Next Step Devotions book. Before reading it, I suggest you read Galatians 1 and pay close attention to verse 10.)
Who comes to mind when you think of a people pleaser? Perhaps you imagine a kind person who would do anything for others. Maybe you think of someone who would say or do anything to be liked by others, whether the words and actions are genuine. It is good to please others out of love but wrong to do so with improper motives.
The One we must ultimately please is our heavenly Father. We exist for that purpose. There are others we love and serve, but our lives should first please God. He alone is worthy of our ultimate allegiance.
Paul raised this issue with the Galatians because some people had abandoned the true gospel to please those teaching a different gospel. He reminded them, “For am I now trying to persuade people, or God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ” (v. 10). The danger of Christians being people-pleasers is that we cease to be servants of Christ if people-pleasing leads us to forsake biblical truth.
We don’t have to look far to see people willingly abandon biblical truth to be accepted by a sinful culture that hates Christ, God’s Word, his church, and his followers. We must not forsake biblical truth to please others. As Paul said, “If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.”
Joshua pleaded with the Israelites in Joshua 24:15 to choose that day whom they would serve. We must do likewise. Will we serve the God of the Bible or a constantly moving human target dictated by a godless culture in a never-ending effort to please others?
Next Step:
Can you recall a time when you compromised biblical truth to please others? Do you experience similar pressures today? How must you respond to remain faithful to Christ and his Word?
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