How People Pleasing Can Be an Idol
By Jennifer Smith Lane (Arise Daily Author)
“Am I now trying to win the favor and approval of men, or of God? Or am I seeking to please someone? If I were still trying to be popular with men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.” Galatians 1:10 AMP
When the topic of idolatry came up in one of my Bible studies, I thought I was finally going to be off the hook that week. I felt confident that I didn’t struggle with idolatry because when I thought of it, my mind drifted to carved statues like those described in the Old Testament. It meant worshipping something fashioned by man, and since I wasn’t bowing down to any statues, I thought I was good. However, when the author stated that idolatry was, “ANYTHING we try to put in a place where God belongs,”[i] I felt like I had the wind knocked out of me. We weren’t talking about carved statues anymore and I realized in that moment that I was guilty of it, in fact, very guilty of it.
What is Idolatry?
Further investigation of the word idolatry, led me to Webster’s dictionary and the definition of reads this way:
Blind adoration or inappropriate devotion to something or someone holding illicit leverage or sway over decisions or priorities, time or resources.[ii]
Another blow. I sat back and reread the definition. Did I read it correctly? Inappropriate devotion to something or someone which holds illicit leverage over decisions, priorities, time or resources …. yes, I had. I reluctantly asked God who or what was holding illicit leverage over my decisions, my priorities, my time, and my resources. I am aggrieved to say that the searching of my heart revealed that while God was on the list, He wasn’t at the top. Oh no, I thought, how did I get here?
People Pleasing Can be an Idol
Once I got past the initial blow that God was not solely on the throne of my heart, I was able to start to look at what was competing for my devotion. Quite frankly, I didn’t like what I saw. I had several offenders holding higher rank than God, one of which was people pleasing. All my decisions, my priorities, my time, and my resources were devoted to people first, not God. Keeping the people in my life happy seemed easier than dealing with conflict, disappointment, or failure. I was deceiving myself. I became preoccupied trying to meet their desires, not God’s, and fear kept me entangled in a scenario I unknowingly created. But God did not put me here on earth to “seek the favor of men…or strive to please them” (Galatians 1:10) but to please Him and Him alone.
Friend, idols can’t rescue you, only God can. Don’t fall into this trap. Whatever you are using your time, energy, and resources to cultivate, you are allowing to have mastery over you. Make God the object of your devotion. Don’t wait until you are in your darkest hour; do it now! Let your depleted reservoirs be filled to overflowing by the One who can supply all your needs and takes delight in doing so.
[i] Beth Moore, Breaking Free: Making Liberty in Christ a Reality in Life (Nashville, TN: Life Way Press, 1999), 61.
[ii] “idolatry”. Merriam-Webster.com. 2011. Online, 15 May 2019.