“If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Galatians 1:10

It is often said, “You cannot please everyone.” Have you ever wondered why this is true? One might be kind enough, loving enough, patient enough, caring enough that everyone would be pleased.

However, not everyone finds the same action as pleasing. From one culture, saying, “Yes Sir,” and “Yes Ma’am” is pleasing because it shows respect. In other cultures, the same greeting is considered dated and insulting. Some people consider a touch or a hug as personal and friendly. Others consider a touch or hug as too personal and friendly.

But the contrast of pleasing others has no greater diversity than in the comparison of this world and the Kingdom of Christ. This world teaches vengeance. Christ teaches forgiveness. This world conquers with power. Christ conquers with love. This world focuses on self. Christ focuses on others.

The contrast is so great that Jesus told us that to be a friend of the world is to be an enemy of God. The reason is the two realms reward different agendas and different values. So, we must realize that we cannot be successful in both realms. Either we will be successful at being “worldly,” or successful at being “spiritual.” But, we will never be successful at both.

So, like Paul, we must make a choice. At one time Paul sought to please man in the practice of religion. As a Pharisee, Paul excelled in pleasing those who opposed Christ. But, Paul finally comes to a personal relationship with Christ. To please Christ, Paul had to break ties with old friends, former practices and cultural traditions. Paul had to change how he looked at life. Paul had to change who he was trying to please.

This change required a dynamic permanent decision. To choose to follow the world meant rejecting Jesus as Lord of his life. To choose to follow Jesus meant rejecting all he had sought in earlier days.

So, Paul chose to please Jesus. Once this choice was made, many of the balance of decisions in life were resolved as well. Once Paul knew who he wanted to please, it was easy to know what to do.

If you find yourself puzzled by the conflict of demands in your life, decide who you want to please. Once you know who is to approve, you have no trouble looking for directions on the next step of life.

Bro. John A. Temple is pastor of Poplar Springs Drive Baptist Church, 4032 Poplar Springs Drive, Meridian. Visit the church website at www.psdbc.org.