Everybody lives to please somebody. Many live to please themselves.

Christians cannot go through life pleasing only themselves. Paul wrote in Romans 15:1, “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.”

We must also be careful when it comes to trying to please others. It is possible to please others and honor God, but it is also possible to please others and dishonor God in the process. Paul said in Galatians 1:10 “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.” We cannot be the servant of Christ while seeking to please others. As a servant, our concern must be to please our Master.

There is an old story that is often told about an elderly man who was traveling with a boy and a donkey. As they walked through a village, the man was leading the donkey and the boy was walking behind. The townspeople said the old man was foolish for not riding, so to please them he climbed upon the animal’s back. When they came to the next village, the people said the old man was cruel to let the child walk while he enjoyed the ride. So, to please them, he got off and set the boy on the animal’s back and continued on his way. In the third village, people accused the child of being lazy for making the old man walk, and the suggestion was made that they both ride. So the man climbed on the they set off again. In the fourth village, the townspeople were indignant at the cruelty to the donkey because he was made to carry two people. The frustrated man was last seen carrying the donkey down the road.

We smile, but this story makes a good point that can be so true to life. We can’t please everybody. If we try to please everybody, we will end up carrying a heavy burden that is impossible for us to bear.

Elders, deacons, preachers, and all Christians desperately need to learn this principle. Well-meaning people may offer us advice, and much of it valuable. But when we try to please everyone, often we please no one, and easily become frustrated and confused.

In light of this, it is crucial that we resign ourselves to the fact that it is impossible to please everybody, no matter what you say and do. That is why we all need to remember that the one we must please above all others is Christ.

And we do that by faithfully obeying God’s Word to the best of our ability. This was Paul’s attitude when he ministered in Thessalonica.

He wrote, “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” (1 Thes. 2:4).

Pleasing God ought to be the major motive of the Christian’s life in all things. Enoch walked with God, and before God took him, Enoch “had this testimony, that he pleased God” (Hebrews 11:5). Jesus said, “And He that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please Him” (John 8:29).

How do we know what pleases God? As we read His Word, we get to know the heart and will of God and that which pleases and displeases Him (2 Peter 1:3). We should make it our goal to be filled with that knowledge and live accordingly. Paul said in Colossians 1:9-11, “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness.”

In Galatians 4:16, Paul said, “Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?” Speaking and living the truth can make you some enemies. But at the judgment, we shall be judged not by the thoughts and opinions of men but by the Word of God. Inner joy and peace comes from knowing that one is living a faithful Christian life well-pleasing unto God.

Whom to Please? Let’s please God!

Copied from Venice’s Bulletin

Paul wrote to the church of Corinth: “For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake” (2 Corinthians 4:5).

It is remarkable how little of a personal nature we know about the early disciples. Paul is a good example. Who were his parents? What kind of home life did he have? What about brothers and sisters? Did he contemplate marriage? Did he have any hobbies? What was his favorite sport? Why do we have so many questions and so few answers? It is because the focus of Paul’s writing was on Christ and not himself!

Paul also wrote: “And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:1,2). Jesus mattered! Paul didn’t!

John the baptizer expressed the right attitude when he said of himself and of Christ: “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). Try to imagine, if you can, what would happen in Christendom if we all had that attitude. We would not see ourselves in competition but in partnership to bring glory to Christ. There would be no jockeying for power positions. There would be no effort to put one man above another. All would seek to exalt Christ!

It is Christ who is to be exalted. It is written of him, “...he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence” (Colossian 1:18). One modern version translates this verse to read “That he might have first place!” In the New Testament he does have first place. He was declared to be virgin born (Matthew 1:18-24). He was identified as the Son of God (Matthew 16:13-19). He was crucified for our sins (1 Peter 2:21-25). He conquered death (1 Corinthians 15:1-21). He is coming again to receive the saints (1 Corinthians 15:22-24).

Do you know HIM? Have you obeyed HIM? Is HE the focus of your life? HE ought to be, and toward that end, we preach CHRIST!

(Written by Roger Rush — Copied)