Welcome! I’m so glad you came. Our entrance into this world is violent and messy. But, here we are. Brought out of the womb of darkness and thrust into the light.
Ready to please.
You come into the world ready to please………. yourself.
It’s how we all start out. Concerned only with our needs; and our desires. Even before we know “consciously” what our desires are; we want them.
As we grow, we discover that we are conscious and aware of our desires; and the demand placed on others to meet them. Even when we couldn’t fully express with words, our desires; we cried out for others to meet them. We cried, so they would; just come to us. Because after all, weren’t we the ones whose needs: “had to be met”? Causing others to be our servants, and be at our beckon call.
As we grew further, we were trained by the ones caring for us; to pay attention to their needs. Because they were also aware of their needs (self aware); and were crying out with words and actions for their needs to be met as well.
So through our being trained up in the way we should go (or maybe shouldn’t go), by others; many of us were taught to be focused on the needs of others. This kind of thinking focuses on people (individually and/or as a whole). But, it could be focused on other things outside of ourselves; such as animals, plants, or our “environment”. Which includes the possessions we own, our cars, houses, or even literally the world we live in; allowing them to become our focus. What about:
“For the [whole] earth is the Lord’s and everything that is in it. [also see Psalms 24:1; 50:12.]”
1 Corinthians 10:26 Amplified Bible Classic Edition
And as our growth continues we begin to learn. Learning how to respond to ourselves, and others in order to obtain the desired result. Using our words and our actions; we begin to please ourselves and others. Even though there are struggles in this; we soon come to believe that, this is the goal: pleasing others.
We come to believe this because, we have been trained by people who want their own desires met. Therefore, meeting the desires of others becomes the goal.
So, we travel that road. The road of pleasing others and doing actions that ensure it. For a period of time things may even seem like they are working. Even Jesus could have been deceived by this (many have accused Him of it); but He wasn’t. He was teaching one day laying out some cutting truth:
“If David himself calls Him ‘Lord,’ in what way is He his son?” And the large crowd was listening to Him with delight.”
Mark 12:37 Tree of Life Version
They were pleased with His words and actions. But, shortly some of the same crowd would be screaming: “Crucify Him!”
They (the others) wanted to crucify the One who had reached outside of Himself; perfectly.
Perfectly, He had reached towards them with His words and His actions.
“Even though He had done so many miracles before them (right before their eyes), yet they still did not trust in Him and failed to believe in Him–”
John 12:37 Amplified Bible Classic Edition
“For by your words [reflecting your spiritual condition] you will be justified and acquitted of the guilt of sin; and by your words [rejecting Me] you will be condemned and sentenced.””
Matthew 12:37 Amplified Bible
They were rejecting Him, because they discovered that to Jesus it wasn’t “all about them”. It definitely wasn’t all about Himself either. What else could they do; but to try and get rid of Him?
All they had known, all they were taught, were the concepts of pleasing themselves and/or the pleasing of others. Is this the concept or “truth” that will remain in the end: pleasing others and/or pleasing ourselves? Look at this scripture from the “end” times:
“Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”
Revelation 4:11 King James Version
Why were they created? For self’s pleasure? For bringing pleasure to others? NO! We are and were created for God’s pleasure! Not created to please ourselves; or even to become “selfless” and only please others. I want us to pause, and say this again (because there is so much deception about it).
We were NOT created to become “selfless” and to become only pleasing to others! This WAS NOT and IS NOT His message to us! This alone, is NOT the Christian message!
Jesus did not come so that we would merely “help” others; or so that we would become “other-ly” aware! This kind of thinking is a cheap counterfeit “knockoff” copy; of the Original’s intent. This counterfeit causes us to fear man, and to be concerned with mans displeasure. Taking God’s Truth which is longing to be revealed, and bending It into a lie; so that man will be pleased.
Jesus came and lived and demonstrated concern for the words, actions, and desires of The One, His Father, God. The announcement and declaration from His Father to Jesus was this:
“And a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.””
Matthew 3:17 Modern English Version
And that wasn’t the only recorded time.
“While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him.””
Matthew 17:5 Modern English Version
What about in the garden of Gethsemane? Even then, Jesus’ desires were the desires for; and of, the Father.
“Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.””
Luke 22:42 New Living Translation
Even though Christ had come to restore relationship and bring a new and living way to us; this was not what He had FULLY came for. His desires were for His Father and pleasing Him. Pleasing The Father was the fullness of Jesus’ desire. Jesus only did what He saw His Father doing. Jesus only spoke what He heard His Father saying.
He was and is of good pleasure to His Father!
We were and are created for The Father’s good pleasure also!
So let’s fulfill our creative destiny and please Him! The “others” and ourselves; can ultimately only find pleasure in Him.
Remember, this pleasure is not found by pleasing others or ourselves! We can only find His smile over and through our lives by living for pleasing The Father. It’s so easy to be pleasing to Him that it’s what we were created for…… You could say we were born to do it!
Keep pleasing HIM! and keep on pleasing Him through the end!
January 1st, 2017 by Eric