Daily Journal: 4 October

People Pleasers

Quotes and Bible Verses

“You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time.” – John Lydgate

“If you live for people’s acceptance, you will die from their rejection.” - Lecrae

“Letting people down is a form of self-care when pleasing them costs your peace.” – Brianna Wiest

“Care about what other people think and you will always be their prisoner.” - Laozi

"No, is a complete sentence." – Anne Lamott

(In other words, we don’t always need to give a reason or justification. A simple ‘no’ suffices, even if people demand more.)

There is no movement, no organisation, and no group that agrees all of the time about everything. We will always be disappointed in others, disagree with others, rejected by some and accepted by others, and tested on our personal resolve. Our self-esteem is largely groomed by how we perceive others perceive us. Objectively speaking, that’s a tragedy. Our value is worth so much more than that.

Therefore, as Christians, we have to relearn our self-esteem and self-perception around what God's made us to be, what He says about us, and His truths. They are stable, never changing, and built on His perfect love and righteousness that includes His impartial justice. He really is our sure foundation.

We will not always be popular, accepted or liked by everyone. We will often be ridiculed and cast aside by some but be embraced and admired by others. We will feel fear or loathing as much as we will challenge and exhort. This is the human experience.

People pleasers end up being what they think other people want them to be not who they are created to be.

Who should we be listening to? How do we stand strong and remain constant?

We stand on what we know to be true. We accept the fact that not everyone will agree.

Proverbs 29:25 (TLB)

Fear of man is a dangerous trap, but to trust in God means safety.

Galatians 1:10 (NCV)

Do you think I am trying to make people accept me? No, God is the One I am trying to please. Am I trying to please people? If I still wanted to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

James 4:4 (NCV)

So, you are not loyal to God! You should know that loving the world is the same as hating God. Anyone who wants to be a friend of the world becomes God’s enemy.

Psalm 118:8 (GNT)

It is better to trust in the Lord than to depend on people.

1 Thessalonians 2:4 (TLB)

For we speak as messengers from God, trusted by him to tell the truth; we change his message not one bit to suit the taste of those who hear it; for we serve God alone, who examines our hearts’ deepest thoughts.

The bible doesn’t mince words and isn’t a ‘feel good’ book. It lays out reality with stark truth and we can choose to accept it or not. It doesn’t apologise for truth. It doesn’t mitigate for people’s feelings. It doesn’t defend its authenticity because it is written by the Spirit of God through people, which is how God works in the world - through you and me in every-day life. God has no need to defend Himself.

Hebrews 6:13-14 (NIV)

When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.”

Deciding to live our lives based on our convictions of the truth of God and His Word rather than the fear of man allows us to live with authenticity, intentionality, courage, resolve and inner peace.