Who am I Pleasing?
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
This week I was reminded of a children’s Christmas program I directed 14 years ago. Every time I think about it, I laugh, even all these years later. My daughter and niece (both 4) were part of the program. When the kids got on stage and we began the first song, I noticed my niece wasn’t paying a bit of attention or engaging in the program at all. In fact, she may have been walking around stage a little while the others were singing.
I couldn’t hear any of the kids singing very loud, so I put my hands up to my ears hoping they would all sing a little louder. My daughter really took this to heart. Her face turned beet red, and she began yelling at the top of her lungs. Just as my daughter began yelling at the top of her lungs, my niece decided it was time to bob back and forth. It was quite the scene.
My daughter really wanted to please me. Her eyes were intently watching me. I told her not to take her eyes off me and she didn’t. She didn’t care about anyone else or what they thought and quite frankly she was too young to care. She saw that I wanted louder, so she was determined to be the loudest. She did a perfect job. Why? Because she had her eyes fixed on me and she did what I asked. She did it with such intensity and her whole heart. She wouldn’t have known what I wanted her to do if her eyes weren’t on me the entire time.
Just as my daughter wanted so desperately to please me, I think God wants us to spend our time pleasing Him. He wants us to do what He asks to the best of His ability- with intensity and our whole heart. As Maria’s eyes were fixed on me, God wants our eyes on Him. Jeremiah 29:13 says “You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your hearts.”
We will fully be able to know and do the will of our father when we keep our eyes completely on Him!
Dear Heavenly Father- Help me to live my life pleasing you. Help me to live my life with my eyes fixed on you. Help me to be intent on serving you in order to do your “good, pleasing and perfect will.”
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