Who Are You Striving To Please?

I had a great conversation this morning with one of my mentors, Kevin Geer. Kevin is truly a brilliant man and I value his opinion more than most. He has that perfect balance of tact and honesty and the things he says are right on the money. Everyone needs a “Kevin Geer” in their life.

Well our conversation this morning ended up landing on the topic of pleasing people; something that I desperately strive to do.

“Hello, my name is David and I’m a people pleaser.”

I love success, I love working towards excellence and I love it when people are pleased with the work I have done.

If you are familiar with the “Five Love Languages” mine is words of affirmation, meaning that I feel good about myself when people pat me on the back and tell me “good job.”

As my conversation with Kevin progressed he essentially asked me the question “who are you striving to please?”

Who am I looking to pat me on the back and tell me that I have done well?

My wife?

My boss?

My family?

Friends perhaps?

God?

The answer ultimately to all of those questions is a resounding “YES!”

My problem lies in how I prioritize who I am aiming to please. All too often, I put them in a hierarchy similar to what I just listed with loved ones, co-workers and friends floating around the top and there at the bottom is God.

Now, I can easily say that I want to please God, I want to live my life for Him, I want to serve Him…but how often do I worry about what everyone else will think rather than what God thinks?

………….

……..

…

Too often.

I like words of affirmation. I like being encouraged. I like hearing that people respect me. That they value my work. It’s a lot easier to actually hear those words from family, co-workers and friends than God.

But I know that in the end, the most incredible words of affirmation will come if I move God to the top of the list.

It will feel so good to hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”