People-Pleasing Predicament

“Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.” Galatians 1:10

If you have ever wondered where Paul got his bold reputation, it’s partially from making statements like this. And if you’ve ever been in any form of leadership in the church, then you know the magnitude of Paul’s tone and position on the issue of ‘people-pleasing.’ Are there benefits to gaining favor with the people around you? Absolutely. This allows you to speak and have influence in the lives of those you come into contact with. It boils down to setting priorities.

Regarding this text in Galatians, I would suggest that there is one huge lesson embedded in Paul’s statement. It is not possible to fully serve Jesus & fully aim to please people. Striving for both will only lead to mediocre results for both. This came as Paul was addressing the issue of circumcision of Gentiles. Some religious leaders were teaching that this was necessary in order to be included in God’s family. They were holding on to the traditional law…not accepting that we can now obtain eternal life by simply having faith in Jesus Christ.

In this portion of scripture, the issue was circumcision that was keeping some from accepting the free & undeserving gift of grace and salvation. What might Paul be dealing with in today’s society regarding people thinking they need to earn the right to be included in God’s family? Regular church attendance…tithing…serving meals to the homeless…honoring the Sabbath? While Jesus instructs all believers to do all of these things, none of it will gain us eternal life without faith. As believers, may we never place what we do above who we are in Christ. May we be seen as Godly people…not merely shallow doers.