Pleasing God versus Pleasing People
The person could be ourselves.
No matter who, no matter why, if we put a human opinion above God’s opinion, we are in an unhealthy spiritual place.
What we see, what we hear, takes precedence sometimes over what the Lord
has commanded us.
People often give us instant gratification.
They have excellent reasons why we are to please them.
They give us honor and dignity and prestige and satisfaction.
We can become enamored with people, where we seek to please them.
Whether it is one we are putting above God or many,
we can elevate people to a position that belongs to God in our lives.
For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men?
for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. Galatians 1:10
Putting people’s opinions over God’s opinion is idolatry.
Pushing God’s word aside and considering a human voice, singular or plural,
is idolatry as well. Thou shalt have no other gods before Me. Exodus 20:3
Idolatry simply means: worship of a physical object as God, excessive
attachment or devotion to something, whether a physical object, person, pleasure or concept.
Jesus talks about some losing their first love.
That first love that we had when we first met Jesus,
that made us want to follow Him, that love that made us want to please Him. Some things took away the clarity
that some of His followers had when they first met Him.
Remember Lot’s wife. Luke 17:32
Loving the world can compete with our love for God,
the love of money also is a trap to rob our affections from God.
Whatever the case, keeping God’s word as utmost importance and pleasing Him, rather than the louder voices.
Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
Revelation 2:4
Jesus expects us to keep Him as the authority of our lives, not any person or other thought pattern, doctrine or any human idea.
If we lose our focus on the Lord Jesus, we are bound to fall from the truth.
So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot,
I will spue thee out of My mouth. Revelation 3:16
Keeping your heart toward the Lord is what needs to happen
if you do want to please the Lord and do not want to serve idols.
Let Jesus have those things which keep you from Him,
even when they seem really good to the human imagination and judgment.