1 Thessalonians 2:4(KJV)
But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.
Apostle Paul admonishes Christians in general and those in the position of authority to reject the temptation of becoming pleasers of men. God’s expectation concerning our service on earth is to please Him and not man. He expects us to render excellent service and to serve without hypocrisy. God requires all to view every opportunity to influence others as a responsibility that has a divine purpose. Therefore, we are to do all things to the glory of God with the consciousness that we owe our allegiance to Him. Galatians 1:10 says, “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.” As Paul states, the purpose of our faith is to please God, not other people. If our hearts are full of ourselves, then we will have no room for God.
In today’s world many people, including Christians, want to please man instead of God. By pleasing people, many do whatever they want to win others’ approval, even when such actions are contrary to God’s commandments. When we choose to please man more than God, we begin to work against God’s purpose, thereby becoming enemies of God. For example, in 1 Samuel 15, King Saul pleased the people without much consideration for the will and commandments of God and lost the kingship. The desire to please men rather than God is a very hypocritical service. Pleasing people requires eye service, insincerity, and self-centeredness. The Bible says in Ephesians 6:6, “Not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.” Eyeservice is unacceptable to God! If we love the praise of men more than the approval of God, we do not yet know what it is to serve the Lord. The truth is work or service rendered with eyeservice will miss Heaven’s mark. Colossians 3:22 says, “Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God.” If we truly love and fear God, we will serve Him and do whatever He asks us to do. In our stand to please God, we will attract different kinds of enemies but don’t let that deter us from doing the right thing.
Beloved, learn to please God always. Do not struggle for human approval but for God’s approval, for it is not how you appear before people that matters, but how you appear before God. Invest your time and energy to find out what God thinks about you. Stop destroying people who will not please you because they have decided to serve God with all their hearts and do what He says to them. Serve God and please Him alone. Today, if you still see traces of eye service in your life, repent and turn a new leaf. Devote yourself to pleasing God, and you will continually flourish more and more and enjoy preservation in the Lord.
O LORD, deliver me from pleasing people and inspire me to serve You with my all in Jesus’ Name.