God Pleasers

I attended a workshop yesterday in Abilene titled " Friendraising and Community-Driven Sustainability." It was for non-profits and so I saw many of my colleagues here in town who lead agencies and ministries that help those in need. Great stuff on building relationships and coalitions with other groups and donors, and not being a lone ranger. It was also a positive time of networking with others in my field and gleaning from their wisdom and experiences.

This morning as I thought about that seminar, there was something that bothered me about it. And it was something I didn't say that day. Our facilitator started off the morning session asking this question: "What sustains you every day? What do you depend on each day?" The crowd said things like friends, family, hope, faith. I remained silent. For some reason I didn't want to state the obvious, probably because this wasn't a church setting. If I was in one of our Bible classes at Highland, I would gladly have said, "The Lord." Or "Jesus." I know deep down that teh living God is the One who ultimately sustains me. Yes, He uses my family and close friends and my church community. Yet, He is the one who makes it all possible to keep me going every day, to give me hope and purpose and joy.

And yet I remained silent after the facilitator of the workshop asked this question. Throughout the rest of the day, she provided us some tremendous ideas and insights about how to build your helping agency so as to bless the community and be around for a long time. And I'm thankful to God for all the new ideas that I gained, and the conversations with other participants during the breaks. However, I went away from that workshop a bit sad. I thought, "Why was there nothing said about God?" "Did we get a subtle message that one can help underprivileged through human power alone?"

And this morning I confessed to God that I was wrong and sinned in now speaking out about Who sustains me. Did I not want to offend anyone? Was popularity more important to me than taking a stand for my Savior? I'm afraid it was.

The past couple weeks I've been reading the book People Pleasers by Les Carter. And I found myself identifying with so many of the folks that Mr. Carter described, those who were not honest with others but did what they could to keep peace with those around them -- even if it hurt them. Reading that book and pondering what happened yesterday at the workshop made me think of how I like to be liked. It feels good to be popular. Yet as a follower of Jesus, is that my goal -- popularity? Or is it to do His will, even if it means I'll become less popular and maybe even thought of as a bit weird.

I've been asking the Lord lately to deliver me from people pleasing. I want to be a God pleaser instead. And that means at times telling people, "No." It could mean that certain people won't want to be around me. When I read the Gospels I notice that while some people (the broken, sick, prostitutes, outcasts) were drawn to Jesus, others didn't want to be around Him -- or even hated Him. If I am truly going to be a disciple of Jesus, then I need to take that risk, and take it gladly -- to be unwanted, avoided and at times even hated.

Jesus said "Be on your guard against men; they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues...All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved." (Matt. 10)

He said in Luke: "Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven."

I need to remember that -- I'm not to seek applause on earth but approval from above. I'm to look for treasures in heaven, not success in this world. But it's so hard, isn't it. I kind of want it all - including popularity on earth.

I have a passage of Scripture taped to my monitor which I noticed again this morning. I posted it there after hearing a message by Chuck Swindoll, where he told a story of when he decided to not be a man pleaser in his church:

Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. -- Gal 1:10

Our flesh will continually pull us towards the people pleasing mode. That's why it's vital that each day we decide once more that by the power of the Holy Spirit we're going seek the approval of God -- not matter what it costs us.

What also came to mind this morning was the words from the old song by the Christian group Petra:

"I want to be a God pleaser, don't want to be a man pleaser. I just want to do the things that please the Father's will." That's my prayer for today. For you and for me.

How can we not but be a God pleaser when we are gripped by His grace in what He did to save us through His Son? Yes, people may hate us when we take a stand for Jesus. But God will always love us. And that's enough for me.


Jim