Win the Approval of God or Man?

“Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Galatians 1:10. NIV.

May I talk to you one on one and ask this important question? Are you trying to win the approval of human beings or God? Now, do you want to hear the truth? If you are still trying to please people, after all these years of faith life, you would never become a servant of Jesus Christ. You simply cannot. You see, God fashioned you to be you. If you want to build life according to your family’s, friends, spouses, or church members’ wishes, it is your choice. However, sadly, you will never be a servant of Christ and you cannot claim to be a servant of Christ. You will be the servant of others in your community, whatever good that community may be. Solemn thought to keep in your mind!

Sadly, this happens even in Christian churches where the leaders keep discriminative, hypocritical, biased, and unbiblical ideas in opposition to God’s ideas. I know the church is not a perfect place. It is a place where imperfect people gather with thanksgiving and worship because God saved unworthy people. If so, how can you turn around discriminate, and discredit another servant of Christ? I know why. I have seen it time and time again. I asked this question- why did you do what you did? The answer would be I didn’t want to hurt their feelings. Alternatively, no pain in hurting the feelings of loving the Lord. Such people want to please fallen human beings. Their aim is not to please God. The goal is to get the power, seat, prestige by doing what pleases people around them. They will get people’s honor. However, do not expect God’s honor.

Dearly beloved, I hope you would be different. You would choose to become the way God created you. Many people try to keep two faces. Openly they want to please other people around them to get a good name, power, and prestige. Jesus hated such attitudes. When they come to you personally, they act differently. True hypocrite lifestyle. How long God allows that attitude to continue? There is a day of reckoning for sure comes. It could be sooner than we think.

Beloved, the Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 2:4 “our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts.” Who molds your identity? Your family, your community, social media, or new age culture? Or do you want God to mold your identity? If you allow God to mold your identity, first of all, you will lose the support of people around you because most of the time, they are in direct opposition to God’s ways. However, you need to stand on your feet for the truth. Bible says, “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.” 1st Corinthians 16:13. Those who fear the people around them cannot become true servants of God. You have to show the mind and feelings of Jesus to people around you. They would hate it to the core. To do this takes courage and strength.

If you want to be a servant of Christ, do not try to mold into the thinking that is handed down to you from other people, whatever appealing it may appear to be. Mold your thinking and actions according to the pattern of Jesus Christ which was revealed in the Gospels. Imitate Jesus by loving people with no conditions. Imitate Jesus by exalting the poor in spirit, the broken and needy. Remember pleasing people to keep your name and prestige up at the cost of another would only dishonor God. Honor God by becoming who God wants you to become.

Beloved, it starts with a strong decision with much prayer. God can unwrap your strongholds to make you free to become his true servant if you allow him to work inside you. You were in the business of gratifying people’s wish lists for a long time. You need God’s big help in this matter. The good news is that is possible with God to change you.

Got a moment for today’s prayer? “Father in heaven, touch my heart with the mighty power of your Holy Spirit to change me completely so that I would not try to please people around me for some personal gains. Lord, help me to please you with my thinking and actions. Help me to imitate Jesus in love, compassion, mercy, and lifting the people who are already bowed down. In the past, I put more weight on those who are already bowed down with various difficulties. May I become your hand and feet going forward to lift them? Change my motives and goal so that your motives and goals would become mine. In Christ’s name, I pray. Amen. “