Living out the Text: Who do you please?
As Paul recounts his time in Thessalonica, he remind the Jesus followers there that his agenda was not to please people, but to please God. Paul definitely had the tools to please people. He was well educated, he had a good reputation, he was intelligent and a good speaker. He could have put all of those tools together to be seen as a success in people's eyes. That wasn't his agenda though. He didn't want to please people, he didn't care if people saw him as a success, he wanted to please God even if it cost him everything else (Philippians 3:8, 13-14).
This raises a big question for us: who are we striving to please? Are we motivated to keep people happy, for them to see us as a success, are we trying to be popular, or are we focused on please God? Take some time to reflect on your motivations and ask God if some things in your life might need to be adjusted.
David Dalton
As Paul recounts his time in Thessalonica, he remind the Jesus followers there that his agenda was not to please people, but to please God. Paul definitely had the tools to please people. He was well educated, he had a good reputation, he was intelligent and a good speaker. He could have put all of those tools together to be seen as a success in people's eyes. That wasn't his agenda though. He didn't want to please people, he didn't care if people saw him as a success, he wanted to please God even if it cost him everything else (Philippians 3:8, 13-14).
This raises a big question for us: who are we striving to please? Are we motivated to keep people happy, for them to see us as a success, are we trying to be popular, or are we focused on please God? Take some time to reflect on your motivations and ask God if some things in your life might need to be adjusted.
David Dalton