1 Thessalonians 2:4
“but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts.”
It’s natural to be a “man pleaser”. It takes a secure person or a God fearing person to not be. If we had good parents, we learned to have a good sense of self. We were accepted and validated by them. Good parents put within us a sense of being enough. We would carry that parental approval off with us to school. Even though we wouldn’t see them all day, we feel the glow of their smiling approval within us.
If we didn’t have healthy parents, then we don’t feel approved of. We seek it all day long through friendships and by the teacher. Others don’t even try, but are rebels. Both of these have a rough start in life.
When we involved in sports and have a job, we want to please the coach or the boss. This slightly different. We are doing it, because it’s obeying authority, not to gain personal acceptance. This is fine and natural, unless we are asked to cheat or bend the rules.
The “pleasing of men” speaks to a disingenuous reason to serve God. Some of the pharisees were in opposition to Jesus. They were serving God for the wrong reasons. Jesus said in Matthew 6:1, “Be careful not to perform your righteous acts before men to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.” We all like positive attention, but to serve for the purpose of getting attention is pleasing man.
We will always have thoughts of getting attention. It’s wrong when we follow through with it. Martin Luther once said, “You can’t keep the birds from flying over your head but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair.” Those “man pleasing” thoughts will be there. Don’t entertain them.
Jesus said in Matthew 6:3, “But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing”. Just do it. And once done, don’t ponder it. Move on.
Lord, help us to please you alone. Help us not to get wrapped up in pleasing others.