Pleasing in His sight

How did Jesus do it? I mean, really do it?

Did he really march across the mountains and hills and deserts of Palestine and care only what God the Father thought of him? Does the Bible really teach that we should care only for what God thinks of us and not others?

As always, we must go to the texts and explore to find and form some kind of opinion.

For example, Jesus warned us: "Woe to you when all men speak well of you"  (Luke 6:26)

Paul said that if he tried to please men he would no longer be a servant of Christ: "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" (Galatians 1:10)

"As we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts" 1 Thessalonians 2:4

On the other hand, Proverbs 22:1 says, "A good name is to be more desired than great wealth, favor is better than silver and gold." But Paul seems to have taught it mattered what men thought. He taught the Roman church, "Now we who are strong ought . . . not just please ourselves. Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification" (Romans 15: 1-2)

Ultimately, it is clear to me that we must be much more mindful of what is in our heart, what we're doing to please God. But we must also care for and attempt to do the right thing by our neighbor, for HIS good.

In other words, our feelings must be nonsequential in this formula.

I had a dear friend/unofficial mentor tell me once over breakfast that far too often pastors have gone into the ministry not because they want to love others but because they have a desperate need to be loved.

There is no question in my mind that my greatest strength is also my greatest weakness. I strive so hard to please everyone, to do what will help, encourage, love on others. The question every single day in my mind and heart is what my motive for that particular action is. If we're doing it for them, God I think is pleased. If we're doing it so that we will be loved, we;ve weed-whacked the whole process.

Another pastor that perhaps I should have listened much more intently to over the years preached on more than one occasion that if we put our trust in people, places or things, we will ultimately be disappointed. Only God ultimately can be trusted because only He is perfect.

When we reach the stage that He will say (or not) "Well done, my good and faithful servant," we will have met the test of trust, of life. I long for that moment sometimes. I pray as hard as I can that I can meet that test. I pray that more than 1,000 blogs haven't been written just to make someone mad at me, but if they have made someone mad (and some have), they were written from the heart with good intent and well-meaning purpose even if they were a failure.

Love God and love neighbor.

If we're doing that, we've met that test, I believe.