People Pleasers
“I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is
trying to please everybody.” Bill Cosby
“In trying to please all, he had pleased none.” Aesop
“We played the flute for you, but you did not dance. We sang
a dirge but you did not weep” Luke 8:32
Sometimes
you just can’t win. If you have ever
worked in any type of customer service job, you know this truth all too
well. If you’ve ever had friends on both
sides of the political spectrum, you have probably walked the delicate line in
social media of posting materials that will neither cause an outrage with
conservative friends or with liberal friends.
Perhaps that’s why we see so many pictures of adorable cats, it’s impossible
for us to talk about the complicated issues without spiraling into discord, but
we can all laugh at Mr. Whiskers doing something silly… well except for that
one person who hates cats (you just can’t win).
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| Adorable animal photo, because we all love animal photos. |
I
really love the quote from Luke, it was the gospel reading at service this
week, and it is applicable to everyday life.
Jesus points out the hypocrisy he is encountering: when John the Baptist
deprives himself the people believe him to be possessed by a demon, but when
Jesus comes and breaks bread, showing appreciation for life, people believe him
to be a glutton. Sometimes we try too
hard to please everyone, and we fail miserably.
Often times we are so focused on doing the popular thing, the thing that
people want; we fail to do what people need.
Worst of all it is easy to lose sight of who we are when we devote too
much of our focus on the opinions of others.
“When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.” Lao
Tzu
Focus
not on what is favorable or popular, instead, focus on who you are and sharing your
God-given gifts. It’s hard not to strive
to please others; we humans are social by nature. The difference between pleasing others and
helping others is immense. We can’t
always please everyone; if you try you just can’t win. When you live your life according to God’s
will and remain true to who you are that is when you will gain something deeper
than approval, you will gain the love and respect of those who see the beauty
God has created in you.
