People pleaser

   I'm a people person. I LOVE to talk and talk and talk... And talk some more. But how come someone who loves to talk would struggle with talking about her Savior? Well, not only am I a people person but I am also a people pleaser. In high school I wanted to get a long with everyone which caused me to keep quiet most times. Well not keep completely quiet... just quiet on speaking up on my faith. I feel that pleasing others is such a struggle for most Christians. We want to so badly be with the crowd and we want to feel a sense of belonging and acceptance but I think that we have forgotten we were meant to be set apart. As Christians our lives should stand out and be different. How would we reach people if our lives looked exactly like theirs? We are called to be lights in this dark world but that doesn't mean it will come easy.

    Because we are living a life set apart from this world, people will try to condemn us and tear us down. The way you live your life may become a joke to some and they may turn it into an insult. Things like that shouldn't stop us, I mean even Jesus was laughed at. "When Jesus arrived at the official's home, he saw the noisy crowd and heard the funeral music. 'Get out!' he told them. 'The girl isn't dead; she's only asleep.' But the crowd laughed at him. After the crowd was put outside, however, Jesus went in and took the girl by the hand, and she stood up!" Matthew 9:23-25. The crowd laughed but he carried on performing miracles. Jesus went through the most persecution yet he still carried on doing God's work. Even when we are laughed at, insulted, etc. we should carry on doing God's work.

   

    Psalm 56:2-4 says, "I am constantly hounded by those who slander me and many are so boldly attacking me. But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. I praise God for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me?" Why should we let man shut us up? What power or authority does man have over our soul that their opinions should stop us from carrying out God's plan for our life? "Don't be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell." Matthew 10:28. Let's fear God and pray for those who persecute us. Those who tear us down need our prayers just a as much as anyone. Even though they hurt us and attack us we need to extend forgiveness. Remember what Jesus said on the cross? After being betrayed and beaten he hung on that cross and, "Jesus said, Father forgive them, for they don't know what they are doing..."

    As Christians we will face persecution but we should never let that hold us back from spreading the Good News. Those who persecute us are lost and in need God's saving grace so let's begin to pray for them. Let's also start to please God instead of pleasing people.