The Desire to Please

1 Thessalonians 2:4 But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.

INTRODUCTORY THOUGHTS

A good steward is recognized for his strong desire to please his master. For this reason, he does not expend the majority of his time and energy toward pleasing other stewards. He recognizes his first responsibility as accountability toward his master. So long as he pleases his master, all other issues will adequately fall into their rightful place. So it is with the steward of God. It is not that he lacks any desire to please others, but this desire pales in comparison to his desire to please the Lord. Simply put, he does not allow others to conflict with his primary responsibility of pleasing his Master. Unfortunately, this issue has become one of the most significant hindrances facing modern Christianity—the inordinate desire men have to please one another rather than the One that matters most.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

(For children):Jesus always pleased His heavenly Father (John 8:29). Enoch too had a testimony of pleasing God (Hebrews 11:5). It is our Christian duty to do the same (1 Thessalonians 4:1). As children, learn how to please God by learning obedience toward your parents (Colossians 3:20).

(For everyone):Is it unhealthy for children to desire to please their parents while they are young? Should they eventually come to a place where they do the right thing for other reasons? How is this like Christianity?

(For everyone):Do you desire to please God? How will your desire to please Him also please the right kind of people?

PRAYER THOUGHTS

Ask the Lord to strengthen your desire to please Him.

Ask God to give you a deeper love for Him.

SONG

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