by Dr. Paul Chappell

"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. But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man."

Galatians 1:10-11

Your peers' opinions do not matter as much as God's opinion matters.

I once read a story that sadly illustrates the difference in paradigm of public servants in our time (even though the story took place years ago).

In the spring of 1883 two young men graduated from medical school. The two differed from one another in both appearance and ambition. Ben was short and stocky; Will was tall and thin. Ben dreamed of practicing medicine on the East Coast, while Will wanted to work in a rural community. Ben begged his friend to go to New York where they could both make a fortune. Will refused. His friend called him foolish for wanting to practice medicine in the Midwest. "But," Will said, "I want first of all to be a great surgeon, the very best, if I have the ability." Years later the wealthy and powerful came from around the world to be treated by Will at his clinic-the Mayo Clinic.

Both Will and Ben had been taught by the same professors, studied the same textbooks, and graduated from the same school; yet their views on their profession was different. They both had a decision to make regarding what to do with their medical degrees. Ben chose to serve his desire for wealth, while Will chose to serve his love for people.

Paul mentions a similar paradigm in Galatians. Paul had faced a choice; he was given an option. Would he serve man and continue his ministry selfishly, or would he choose to serve God and focus solely on God's will for his life? Paul's decision was to serve God and do His will.

Our verses today continue Paul's words to the misled Galatian believers who had been introduced to a "new gospel" and had been told Paul's teachings were discredited. Paul makes a poignant point when he asks them, "For do I now persuade men, or God?" Was Paul's mission to appease men or to do God's will?

We face a similar choice in our own lives. Will we serve God out of a desire for self-praise and worth, or will we abandon self and seek to serve God only for His approval? We would be foolish to say we are not influenced in some way by peer pressure. The acceptance of others is a very strong pull in the lives of all human beings, yet Paul begs the question, "Who am I seeking to please-men or God?"

Think of your own life. Who are you seeking to please with your actions-men or God? Are you so concerned with the thoughts or acceptance of others that you are neglecting God's will? No one wants to be rejected or thought of as an outcast, yet God reminds you that this world is not your home. Your peers' opinions do not matter as much as God's opinion matters.

The next time you are tempted to compromise your standards, silence your faith, or give in to temptation, remember Paul's words, "For do I now persuade men, or God?" Are you going to live your life to please men or God?

To learn more about the ministries of Lancaster Baptist Church and Pastor Chappell, please visit lancasterbaptist.org, paulchappell.com, or follow him on twitter.

Daily Bible Reading
Numbers 35-36 | Mark 10:1-31