But You Can Please God

I was born a people pleaser. I hate to have others unhappy with me, which caused me to live a fairly obedient childhood. I was always getting behavior awards at school, but, obviously, for the wrong reasons.

We have been wrapping up a "Gospel Crazy" series at church. Time and again, we have been faced with the blaring truth that we either fear displeasing men or displeasing God when we do not choose or choose to share the gospel with others.

My nature is to fear displeasing other people. I remember being a little girl in Brownies/Girl Scouts. I dreaded the cookie sales each year. I would put on my uniform and timidly knock on people's doors, PRAYING they wouldn't be home. If I were rejected face to face at a particular house, I felt the sting for hours. I took it as a personal rejection. However, every year I sold cookies because I also dreaded displeasing my troop leaders and troop. I wanted my merit badge, and I wanted to do well.

However, as I have matured in my faith, I have realized that the focus is not my feelings, but the focus is obedience to God and the salvation of others' souls. Long ago, when I became a follower of Christ's, I had to give up living for myself and submit to God and put others first. Because of this, the idea of someone dying and facing an eternity in Hell and punishment should be more horrible than my dread of someone rolling their eyes at me behind my back. The idea of facing my sovereign GOD and CREATOR one day should inspire me to find courage in the face of my nervousness at sharing the gospel. God also promises us that the "merit badges" we will get in Heaven are far beyond any reward we have gotten here on earth.

As I have posted before, I am reading a book called Pleasing People, by Lou Priolo. I thought I would motivate myself and my readers further by listing reasons why we can never fully please others . . . But we can please God. This list is taken from chapter 5: You Can't Please All of the People Even Some of the Time.

Reasons why trying to please men is useless:

1. It is fruitless to try to please men because each person is different and, therefore, by pleasing some, you will inevitably displease others. (page 84)

2. It is unrealistic to try to please people because selfishness distorts their thinking and raises their expectations above that which you can reasonably fulfill. (page 86)

3. It is futile to try to please people because most of them are unregenerate and believe you to be "foolish" and strange." (page 88)

4. It is unreasonable to try to please people because, even among Christians, judgmental attitudes and critical spirits are still present. (90)

5. It is futile to try to please people because even Jesus Christ, the Perfect Man, did not please everyone. (91)

6. It is useless to try to please people because they are fundamentally incapable of being pleased by anyone or anything other than Christ. (92)

These are just a few reasons given and explained in the book as to why we shouldn't focus all our energy on pleasing men. However, we do know that what makes God happy and pleased is clear and unchanging. Humility, obedience, thankfulness, holiness, and redemption in Christ are all some ways we can please God. When it comes to the gospel, we please God when we step out and share with others. It is a command we need to obey. We can never please every person all of the time, but we can pursue obedience and holiness to please God. What a wonderful inspiration to someday hear God say, "Well done, good and faithful servant!"