Together in Christ: 'Who Am I Trying to Please?' — Galatians 1:10

We should regularly examine our lives carefully and ask a vital question: "Who am I trying to please?" Most of us never pause to evaluate our lives. We rarely look for the motivation behind our behaviors or the words we have chosen to say. We seldom ask why we made a decision. If we don't ask these questions, our desires to be accepted by others can enslave us to their approval.

Paul's statement of purpose in our verse today at the beginning of his important letter to the Galatians reminds us that there are far more important things than winning approval from others. While wanting to influence others for good is definitely an objective, we cannot forget the One we are trying to please: God! If we are more concerned about pleasing others than pleasing God, our desire for acceptance can corrupt our motivation and destroy our influence for good. ^[1] We become the slave of others' approval rather than being servants of Christ!

We must not compromise or water down God's truth in order to keep people happy. Jesus didn't and changed the world, paying a high price for integrity. Paul didn't, and he has influenced millions upon millions, but he also paid a high price for his convictions. Learning to speak the truth in love means telling the truth with gentleness and respect without compromising the truth God wants us to communicate. ^[2] Our goal is to be winsome, likable, adaptable, and genuine in our relationships so we can win as many to Jesus as possible. ^[3] But, the motivation for our behaviors must be to please God, not be popular!