Post by Les Brewer on Jul 12, 2012 8:21:02 GMT
Kurt Hayman
People Pleasing, by Tim Archer
An ancient fable tells of a man, a boy and a donkey. A man and his son
were leading their donkey to market when someone passed and remarked
how foolish they were to have a donkey and not ride it.
...
The boy mounted the donkey, but the next person who passed commented on
what a wicked son that would force his poor father to walk. So the
father got on the donkey, but the next traveler they passed wondered
why a father would treat his son so cruelly.
So both got on the donkey, only to be rebuked by the following person
they met, who said, "Aren't you ashamed of yourself for overloading
that poor donkey of yours-you and your hulking son?
There was but one thing to do. Father and son entered the town carrying
the donkey on their shoulders.
Aesop ended the fable saying, "Please all, and you will please none."
It's hard not to worry about what others think or say about us.
However, we can't let that control our lives, especially our spiritual
lives. In the New Testament, we read this sad statement: "Nevertheless,
many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the
Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of
the synagogue; for they loved the glory that comes from man more than
the glory that comes from God" (John 12:42-43).
They loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes
from God. That describes a lot of people, doesn't it? Hopefully, it
doesn't describe you or me.
We need to be willing to put our faith in God, even when it's not
popular to do so. We need to be willing to stand up for what's right,
no matter what others may say. We need to seek the glory that comes
from God rather than the praise of men.
People Pleasing, by Tim Archer
An ancient fable tells of a man, a boy and a donkey. A man and his son
were leading their donkey to market when someone passed and remarked
how foolish they were to have a donkey and not ride it.
...
The boy mounted the donkey, but the next person who passed commented on
what a wicked son that would force his poor father to walk. So the
father got on the donkey, but the next traveler they passed wondered
why a father would treat his son so cruelly.
So both got on the donkey, only to be rebuked by the following person
they met, who said, "Aren't you ashamed of yourself for overloading
that poor donkey of yours-you and your hulking son?
There was but one thing to do. Father and son entered the town carrying
the donkey on their shoulders.
Aesop ended the fable saying, "Please all, and you will please none."
It's hard not to worry about what others think or say about us.
However, we can't let that control our lives, especially our spiritual
lives. In the New Testament, we read this sad statement: "Nevertheless,
many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the
Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of
the synagogue; for they loved the glory that comes from man more than
the glory that comes from God" (John 12:42-43).
They loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes
from God. That describes a lot of people, doesn't it? Hopefully, it
doesn't describe you or me.
We need to be willing to put our faith in God, even when it's not
popular to do so. We need to be willing to stand up for what's right,
no matter what others may say. We need to seek the glory that comes
from God rather than the praise of men.
