The Problem of a People-Pleasing Pastor - Part Two

“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 (KJV; emphasis added)

The enticement to please people and not God is a mistake for the man of God and problematic for the people of God. The man of God, that is the under-shepherd should model the Chief Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord declared that He always purposed to please His Father (John 8:29b). His heart was not pulled to please and placate people.

Jesus Christ’s desire to honor God rather than man was very lucid in our Lords ministry! For instance, at the scene of His very first miracle when the wine supply was empty, His mother wanted him to act and address the need immediately. However, the Lord moved to action on His Father's time and not when his mother or the people desired (John 2:2-4). When Lazarus was deathly ill, it was only natural that his sisters wanted Jesus to come immediately and heal Lazarus. However, the Lord came on His Fathers time four days later. Jesus’ delay did not minimize or change the result of His response to their need, instead it magnified the power of God (John 11:6-23). When Jesus performed a miracle and fed 5,000 people with just a few loaves of bread and fish, the people desired to make Him king. However, knowing that His Father’s plan did not include an earthly kingdom, He refused and hid Himself from the multitude (John 6:15). And when the Pharisees and Sadducees wanted him to perform a sign or miracle Jesus rebuked them, knowing that it was not Father’s will that He acquiesce to their request (Matthew 16).

Just like the Master, a minister of the Gospel should not be moved to minister outside the plan and pleasure of God. People and their purposes are never more important or bigger than God. Anxious hearts, immediate needs, and the people's political agenda should not cause a pastor to automatically acquiesce to the appetite of the crowd.

A pastor’s refusal to wait on the Lord offers a fleshly response that minimizes the power of God in a person’s life. The Scriptures are clear that we are to wait for the Lord’s response rather than intervening on His behalf.

“Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.” - Psalm 27:14 (KJV)

It is only through waiting in the middle of difficult circumstances that we learn perseverance and patience.

“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” - James 1:2-4 (KJV)

Notice that the Scriptures indicate that we will be made perfect and complete when we have learned patience in difficulty. A Pastor must be cautious in His response to His congregation so as to avoid waylaying the work of the Lord in a person’s life. In our flesh our main concern is our comfort and avoiding difficulty. However, the Lord’s priorities for us are much greater as He is working to mold us into the image of Jesus Christ. A Pastor’s role is to lead and guide His people on this path, not to send them on unnecessary detours by undermining God’s work in their lives.

Not a Sermon But a Thought,

PBKSR