GALATIANS 1:10

“For am I now seeking the favor of people, or of God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.”

Adrian Rogers, the beloved former Pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, TN, said it best when he said, “If you please God, it doesn’t matter whom you displease. If you displease God, it doesn’t matter whom you please.” Boy, isn’t that true? You can either be a God pleaser or people pleaser. You can’t be both.

Paul nails this down with the last phrase. He says, “…I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.” HELPS Word-Studies says this about that Greek word for bond-servant, “is used with the highest dignity in the NT – namely, of believers who willingly live under Christ’s authority as His devoted followers.” Paul had tried the people pleaser route and found it lacking. But as a bond-servant of Christ, his only desire was to please his Master, King Jesus.

APPLICATION

Now, how do we take this verse and apply it to our lives? This should not be confusing for any believer in Christ. You either please God or you please people. Paul says in Romans 6:16, “Do you not know that the one to whom you present yourselves as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of that same one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?”

But Paul isn’t done yet. Let’s go to 1 Thessalonians 2:4. “but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not intending to please people, but to please God, who examines our hearts.” Aren’t you glad the Lord gave Paul this insight to pass on to us? Paul had dealt with the religious crowd. He knew their intentions were not true.

Therefore, we are to be focused solely on pleasing the One who gave us life. Lest we think this is a New Testament concept, look at Psalm 118:8. “It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in people.” David knew this, too. So do you. Stop trusting in the approval of others. Seek to please Him. That is all that matters.

O Lord, it is so hard sometimes to not get wrapped up in pleasing others. Keep my attention on You.