by Bill Elliff; June 13, 2024
For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ, for I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. (Galatians 1:10-12)
Most people struggle with a man-pleasing spirit. We all want to be liked. Out of that desire, we often do or say things (or do NOT do or say things) purely to gain the favor of others.
Somewhere along the way, Paul had lost his man-fearing spirit. He was so indebted to Christ for saving him and so intent on doing what Christ said, regardless of how that affected him personally, that he did not care what others thought of him.
Two things drove him from this self-centered thinking.
1. He was a bond-servant of Christ. He had laid all the rights to his life (including the right to his reputation before others) at the feet of Christ. All that mattered now was serving Christ and others. He was caught up in the joy of self-forgetfulness.
2. The gospel he received was not given to him by a man but by Jesus Christ. Paul felt he had no right to change, hide, or minimize the gospel to water it down so he would not offend. God had spoken, and his job was to deliver God’s word to needy people.
The reality is that it is not really a man-pleasing attitude but a SELF-pleasing spirit. It is all about our desire to take care of ourselves. Not only is it the height of selfishness, but it also keeps the light of the gospel of Christ “hidden under a bushel.”
When our goal is to be personally seen or loved, we divert attention from the One that men really need to see.
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