Pleasing Men

Pleasing Men

“For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Gal. 1:10.

“Just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.” 1 Cor. 10:33.

It can be difficult to unite these two scripture verses. The human tendency is either to be stubborn, rigid, and self-willed, without caring about anyone; or to be cowardly, seeking honor, and without independent opinions, yielding to everyone. However, it is godly to unite these two scripture verses in one’s life.

The one who seeks his own by pleasing men is not a servant of Christ; but the one who pleases people by being a sacrifice, is a servant of Christ.

“Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for so did their fathers to the false prophets.” Luke 6:26.

“Praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were willing to be saved.” Acts 2:47.

According to what Jesus says, one could think that the apostles had gone astray. All the people were also running after Jesus to hear His life-giving words. But Jesus was hated by the builders of that time—those who wanted to be highly esteemed by the people and be called “Rabbi.” These builders did not help the people, but they pleased them in order to receive their favor. Jesus, on the other hand, helped them, and therefore they praised Him. The apostles had the same experience, and we will also experience this if we want to be servants of Christ. In these days there are also builders who please men to become great. They say, “Peace, peace,” as the false prophets did in former days, and they feather their own nests. They have bound people together in denominations, keeping an eye on them so that their membership, and their own reputation with it, does not decrease. These builders rise up immediately to fight against a servant of Christ who unselfishly helps people and gives them nourishment which they cannot receive within their own denomination.

Jesus did nothing to hold on to people; He rather helped them, and they came in crowds. Therefore both He and the apostles had favor with all the people, but they were hated by the people’s leaders who kept the people in bondage.

Do not fear those who absolutely want to hold on to you, who can neither help you nor give you nourishment; and do not be afraid if people speak well of you because you are helping them and are benefited by you.

It is the Lord who adds to the church those who are willing to be saved. These are not held together by persuasion and human bonds, but they are of the truth and hear the Shepherd’s voice. Therefore the Lord can gather them together. Among these He puts some into the different ministries, and there are elders among them who seek the others’ best and have a care for everything. These are not elders because they have been along the most number of years, but because they are the servants and slaves of all. This is how David became king, and it is written about him: “Therefore, when Saul saw that he behaved very wisely, he was afraid of him. But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them.” 1 Sam. 18:15-16, 30. “Whatever the king did pleased all the people.” 2 Sam. 3:36.

This kind of relationship must exist between an elder and the ones for whom he is an elder. He cannot think that he can act as he pleases because he is an elder, without considering the others. Perhaps he wants to prove that he is someone who doesn’t please men, and so he acts willfully. If anyone murmurs, he comes to them with a word about submission. However, then he has forgotten that the ones whom the Lord gathers are one body of which Christ Himself is the head. Therefore it doesn’t take much before the body reacts, and the one who leads should take these reactions seriously to heart, even if they come from the lowliest one. But if he walks wisely as a servant of the Lord, the whole church will be pleased with what he does.