June 2025

And the LORD struck the people with a plague because of what they did with the calf Aaron had made.

-Exodus 32:35

On Thursday mornings, our ecumenical Bible Study group has been going through a series titled “Surrendered: Letting Go & Living Like Jesus” by Barb Roose. Recently, one of the lessons was on the danger of “people-pleasing.” The story Barb used as an example was the story of Aaron making the golden calf in order to please the people while they were anxious and while Moses was up on the mountain.

I had not really thought about that story as a warning against the possibly destructive consequences of people pleasing. Aaron gave the people what they wanted (false security) rather than what they needed (what God commanded), and ultimately much more harm than good came of it.

It was very convicting to me, because my own tendency is to give people what they want. Am I thinking about their well-being, or am I driven more by a need to be liked? I shudder to think about how often the latter has been the case. Am I allowing God’s Word to speak, or am I just seeking their approval?

The good physician will do what is right for the patient’s well-being and health, even if it means challenging them a little or making them uncomfortable. The good doctor’s concern is health, not just immediate comfort or being liked.

May God challenge our people-pleasing behaviors. It’s not wrong to want to comfort people; it’s not wrong that we want to be liked; but if we place those things above God’s clearly revealed Law, we are heading towards disaster. Love is more than simply giving people what they want so that they will like you. It’s doing the right thing in true Godly love, even if it’s risky.

When I consider the people whom I respect, generally these people are those who have been able to tell me the difficult truth in love; to challenge me to grow. Oh yes, they certainly empathize with me, and are humble enough not to consider themselves BETTER than me, but they don’t compromise when it comes to speaking the truth I need to hear. God bless them for that.

Have a summer filled with both grace and truth, my friends.

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Matthew