Who Are You Trying to Please?

“Let my words and…thoughts be pleasing to you, Lord.” Ps 19:14 CEV

Are you afraid to speak up in case you encounter disapproval? The Bible says, “Fearing people is a dangerous trap” (Pr 29:25 NLT). And fear is common among people-pleasers. One author writes: “A pleaser daughter is one who, at any age, still tries to please her parents. From report cards to parenting style…her decisions are colored by the opinions of the people who raised her. But remember what Paul said, ‘When I was a child… I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me’ (1Co 13:11 NIV). A pleaser friend is one who can’t say no. Resentment may build up, but she always shows up and takes care of things. What she considers love and loyalty are often exploited by others who seek reliance, codependency and caretaking. A pleaser employee consistently works long hours without compensation or appreciation, covers for others who don’t pull their weight, and bites her tongue when her boss or colleagues take credit for her work. A pleaser wife is one who in her desire to be perfect…becomes an altered version of the woman her husband fell in love with. A pleaser mom fears the loss of her children’s love. She’s afraid to set boundaries, even though they create an atmosphere of comfort and respect. She equates discipline with division, and by depriving her children of rules she ends up missing out on the later-life friendship that’s the dessert of good parents.” The only thing you should be concerned about is making sure that your “words and…thoughts” please God. In the end, His approval is the only thing that counts.

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