Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anybody else expects of you. Never excuse yourself. Henry Ward Beecher
So whatever you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God, even as I try to please everybody in everyway. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they maybe saved. (1 Corinthians 10:31-33 NIV)
Is the apostle Paul a people pleaser? It appears so from what he has to say in his letter to the church at Corinth. Today we hear much about the negative aspects of being people pleasers. It may take away our own identity, cause low self-esteem, make us insecure, and cause emotional problems because we are always under the thumb of someone we are trying to please. And what if they are not pleased? The fact is that we are not going to please all the people all the time. So why be a people pleaser? Paul gives us the answer; he said it is not about seeking his own good. As I consider his motive and attitude in trying to please everybody in everyway, I realize that many times in my own life I have sought to please others with ulterior motives. I have agreed to go along with something because inside I was able to bond with this person in a particular way, or possibly if I went along with what ever it was, I could be associated some how with this person. I also have pleased others because of fears. I did not want to appear as being wrong. This too is self-seeking. I learn today from the apostle Paul that trying to please everybody in everyway only works when it is done for the good of many, not just for the good of myself. I can just picture Paul standing in the metropolitan city of Corinth having many different cultures and ethnic groups all about himself, and rather than offend some or many he would be compassionate and understanding as he kept the peace by being pleasing to others. What a testimony that is for the grace, compassion and forgiveness that God so freely gave to us. Even God did not condemn us. People pleasing is good when we have a servants heart, and put others before our own desires. Today God had again shown me something from the Word that I passed over lightly at other times. God continues to do for me what I could not do for myself .JRE
The Life Recovery Bible, sheds some light on these verses, share this with me:
Paul sought to balance his argument here, for it is easy to become too legalistic as we work through the recovery process. The balance can be found by being willing to give up any of our rights that might cause others to fall while also not forcing our standards on anyone else. This does not lead to co-dependency, where we seek to please others for unhealthy reasons. Paul sought to please others for the specific purpose of leading them to salvation. If our actions are governed by our love for others, we will be well on the way to developing strong relationships and overcoming the problems that drive our addiction or compulsion. God will also use us as powerful instruments to help other hurting people. (The Life Recovery Bible, page 1380)
YOU GIVE THEM DRINK FROM YOUR RIVER OF DELIGHTS. FOR WITH YOU IS THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE; IN YOUR LIGHT WE SEE LIGHT.
Psalm 36:8 NIV
So whatever you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God, even as I try to please everybody in everyway. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they maybe saved. (1 Corinthians 10:31-33 NIV)
Is the apostle Paul a people pleaser? It appears so from what he has to say in his letter to the church at Corinth. Today we hear much about the negative aspects of being people pleasers. It may take away our own identity, cause low self-esteem, make us insecure, and cause emotional problems because we are always under the thumb of someone we are trying to please. And what if they are not pleased? The fact is that we are not going to please all the people all the time. So why be a people pleaser? Paul gives us the answer; he said it is not about seeking his own good. As I consider his motive and attitude in trying to please everybody in everyway, I realize that many times in my own life I have sought to please others with ulterior motives. I have agreed to go along with something because inside I was able to bond with this person in a particular way, or possibly if I went along with what ever it was, I could be associated some how with this person. I also have pleased others because of fears. I did not want to appear as being wrong. This too is self-seeking. I learn today from the apostle Paul that trying to please everybody in everyway only works when it is done for the good of many, not just for the good of myself. I can just picture Paul standing in the metropolitan city of Corinth having many different cultures and ethnic groups all about himself, and rather than offend some or many he would be compassionate and understanding as he kept the peace by being pleasing to others. What a testimony that is for the grace, compassion and forgiveness that God so freely gave to us. Even God did not condemn us. People pleasing is good when we have a servants heart, and put others before our own desires. Today God had again shown me something from the Word that I passed over lightly at other times. God continues to do for me what I could not do for myself .JRE
The Life Recovery Bible, sheds some light on these verses, share this with me:
Paul sought to balance his argument here, for it is easy to become too legalistic as we work through the recovery process. The balance can be found by being willing to give up any of our rights that might cause others to fall while also not forcing our standards on anyone else. This does not lead to co-dependency, where we seek to please others for unhealthy reasons. Paul sought to please others for the specific purpose of leading them to salvation. If our actions are governed by our love for others, we will be well on the way to developing strong relationships and overcoming the problems that drive our addiction or compulsion. God will also use us as powerful instruments to help other hurting people. (The Life Recovery Bible, page 1380)
YOU GIVE THEM DRINK FROM YOUR RIVER OF DELIGHTS. FOR WITH YOU IS THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE; IN YOUR LIGHT WE SEE LIGHT.
Psalm 36:8 NIV
