Do you like to make people happy? I do. I love it when someone asks me to do something for them, and I am available to do it. For example, when I am asked to help with a funeral meal. I enjoy that. Due to my health, for the past six months, I haven’t been able to help. It bothers me when I have to say no.
ALLERGIC TO “NO”
When I am substituting for the first and second grade, one of my favorite parts is when kids ask me to tie their shoes. I look forward to that. That doesn’t happen that often with the older kids for some reason…Whenever a child calls out and wants a push on a swing, it makes me smile. Or, they need help with their homework (that rarely happens, but it is a nice thought). I think you get the idea. I just love to make people happy. Some people call me a people pleaser, but that can also be a negative thing. My wife says I am allergic to the word “No”.
WHEN NOT TO SAY “NO”
But there is one time that I need to please someone and saying no isn’t an option. The Someone is Jesus Christ, and it is my pleasure as well as my duty to please Him. The Apostle Paul tells the Colossian believers, “We pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:10). Those are not just words; they are a pattern of life that involves service. Not merely doing good works but experiencing the fruit that comes from doing those good works. For example, take a Mission trip to a foreign country to help the people who live there. One of the best results is seeing the fruit of wisdom blossom in your life and godly maturity grow out of that time.
THE BONUS TO STUDY
You can grow in the knowledge of God by studying His word consistently, but a huge bonus is being able to share what you’ve learned with someone who needs to hear the gospel clearly and powerfully.
THE #1 GOAL
Pleasing God means more than just doing a laundry list of jobs, but it involves following through with spiritual growth on your part. Remember, it isn’t about what we do, but in the end, “We make it our goal to please Him whether in the body or out of it” (2 Corinthians 5:9).
WHO AM I TRYING TO PLEASE?
Who am I trying to please? David Wells, in his book “God in the Wasteland: The Reality of Truth in a World of Fading Dreams,” writes: “A God with whom we are on easy terms and whose reality is little different from our own, who is merely there to satisfy our needs, has no real authority to compel us and will soon begin to bore us.”
Ask yourself, are you pleasing God or are you pleasing your own self-interest? Are you growing spiritually because you are serving Christ, or are you just putting in the time? Is boredom an apt adjective for your Christian life? Let us follow the example of Jesus when He said: “I always do what pleases Him” (John 8:29). With that, you can’t go wrong!