Have you heard the expression: “She’s a people pleaser?” Psychologists have written extensively on the subject of people-pleasers.

People-pleasers find it easier to go along with what someone else wants or thinks rather than express their own thoughts. They avoid speaking their mind and always try to be nice – rather than expressing how they really feel. They find themselves compromising their own values and beliefs just to avoid tension in the air. When they do have to draw a line by saying “No,” they feel guilty.

At a less honourable level, there is a term found twice in the New Testament – anthrōpáreskos or men-pleasers – those who work hard when the boss is around, trying to make a good impression on management. (Ephesians 6:6, Colossians 3:22) There is yet another term used by the Apostle Paul – phílautos or self-pleasers – those who love themselves and seek only to please themselves. (2Timothy 3:2)

Who am I trying to please?

• My own self? Mr. Selfish Supreme!
• My friends, those around me and other people? Mr. Nice Guy Doormat!
• The boss and the business?  Mr. Real Company Man!

Each morning as the Apostle Paul started his day, a higher and nobler ‘desire to please’ occupied his heart, activated his mind and energized his body. When he was writing to Corinth about his ministry and the pros and cons of remaining here on earth or going home to heaven, he wrote these words:

Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord– for we walk by faith, not by sight– we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.  2Corinthians 5:6-9

Am I consciously trying to please Him? When I have to choose to do this, go there, engage in this or do that – do I consciously ask:

• Am I making this choice or this decision to please Him?
• Am I confident this will bring Him pleasure?
• Will He nod with approval from Heaven as He looks down at me?
• Will He get the attention of an angel and say: “Cherub, take a look at my blood-bought child on Planet Earth today. Isn’t it thrilling to see her making that choice? I gave my life for her at the cross, and now she aims to please Me in return.”

Pleasing Christians, pleasing our families and our spouses, pleasing our manager, and pleasing our neighbours are all right in their proper place. In fact, Christians should be distinguished by ‘serving and pleasing others’ but only to the degree that such activities ultimately please HIM.

It might please my friends if I went along with them or looked like them or did what they did – but can you connect the dots as to how such a thing would ultimately please your Lord? It might please some of your peers if you didn’t progress spiritually and if you didn’t get baptized or if you chose not to join a fellowship of local believers – you might please them but what about Christ? So, pleasing others definitely has limits and boundaries!

It is never okay or right to please others at the expense of not pleasing the Lord.

Paul’s aim was to please Him. More than once, he committed to paper words that summarized his mission in life – words that described his primary objective, his burning desire, and the focused goal for his Christian life. See if you can find these references in the Epistles he wrote.

Am I consciously, prayerfully and daily aiming to please Him? Is that your ambition in life? Is that the hidden driving force in my life and yours? Have you ever committed to writing out the desire of your life?

Doreen Virtue’s Personal Story
From New Age Deception to Christ

Walk carefully and closely with the Lord today.

Warmly in Christ,

Peter Ramsay

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