The Danger of Pleasing Man - Carla D Burnette

Galatians 1:10 (ESV), “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

Do you desire to be a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ? Then, you cannot live a life to please man according to Galatians 1:10. It is impossible to please both man and God, for we will seek to please the one we fear most. Who do you fear the most? 

King Saul in the Bible is an example of someone who sought to please man rather than the Lord; he feared man more than God. Let’s explore further the harmful effects of fearing man by studying Saul’s life. We will focus on key moments where the fear of man influenced his actions, caused him to make rash decisions, and ultimately resulted in disobedience to the Lord. The fear of man can have the same effect in our lives, if we let it. May Saul’s life alert us to the danger of pleasing man over the Lord. 

Fear Influences Our Actions

The first key moment is Saul’s public coronation as king in I Samuel 10. When Saul is proclaimed king in front of all Israel, he is found hiding among the supplies. Why? Prior to this public proclamation, Samuel, a prophet and priest, privately anoints Saul as king. So Saul even knew ahead of time about his new role, and yet, he still hid from everyone.

“While this might seem modest at first, Saul has already been anointed as king and received signs confirming that anointing. Saul should have been confident in God by this point, but he is characterized throughout the narrative as a fearful and insecure man”

the Faithife Study Bible

Fearful of the people’s reactions and thoughts, Saul hid. Do you want to hide when in the spotlight? I sure do. But know that if God calls you into the spotlight, He will equip you. Look to Him and not to those around you. It does not matter what other people may think. What matters is your obedience to God.

Fear Causes Us to Make Rash Decisions

Next, Saul’s fear of man caused him to make a rash decision. In I Samuel 13, the Philistines were encroaching upon Israel, and the Israelite troops were gripped with fear. Saul waited seven days as instructed for Samuel to arrive, but he didn’t come. Instead of continuing to wait for Samuel, Saul decided to offer a sacrifice unto the Lord. Just as he finished, Samuel arrived.

Defending his actions, Saul explained in verses 11b-12, “‘When I saw that the troops were deserting me and you didn’t come within the appointed days, I thought: The Philistines will now descend on me at Gilgal, and I haven’t sought the Lord’s favor. So I forced myself to offer the burnt offering.’”

Notice that Saul says he forced himself. Saul’s fear compelled him to offer the sacrifice, despite knowing that only priests were authorized to do so. He could have acknowledged the Lord and asked for His protection without offering a sacrifice. But it appears Saul believed he needed to offer the Lord something in order to receive His favor. As king of the Lord’s people, didn’t he realize he already had the Lord’s favor? Fear clouded Saul’s thinking.

Furthermore, Saul does not repent for his wrongdoing. He only tries to justify his actions. As a result of Saul’s disobedience and foolishness in offering a sacrifice, his reign as king would end prematurely. 

“When faced with fear, one of two things will happen: we will resist fear and it will go, or it will grow and consume us.”

Kim Potter, founder of A New Ministries

What do you do when faced with fear? Do you focus on the circumstances causing the fear, or do you turn to the Lord? Let’s not allow fear to grow and consume us. Instead, let’s resist fear by shifting our perspective onto the Lord, taking our thoughts captive (2 Corinthians 10:5b) and rejecting the lies that don’t align with God’s Word. Our God is always with us and for us. He will strengthen us and help us when we acknowledge Him.

Fear Results in Disobedience

Lastly, Saul’s fear of man caused him to directly disobey the Lord’s instructions. In I Samuel 15, Saul is commanded to completely destroy the Amalekites and all they own. However, Saul spares the Amalekite king and the best of the animals. Yet, Saul claims he obeyed by sparing the animals as a sacrifice to the Lord.

But Samuel responds in verse 22b, “Look: to obey [the Lord’s command] is better than sacrifice”. Realizing his wrongdoing, Saul finally admits his sin. Although, he again offers excuses to justify his actions. In verse 24, Saul explains, “‘Because I was afraid of the people, I obeyed them.’” 

In spite of his authority as military leader and king, Saul submitted to his troop’s desires, for he was scared to oppose them. His troops’ approval was more important than his obedience to God. As a result of his disobedience, the Lord rejected Saul as king.  

Is obeying God more important to you than man’s approval? Are you willing to stand up for what is right even when others around you do not? I pray we will.

Paul speaks of seeking man’s approval and pleasing man in Galatians 1:10 (ESV): “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

How tragic to learn about the destructive effects of fear in Saul’s life. The fear of man ruined Saul’s life, making him ineffective and disobedient to the Lord. Fear can have the same effect in our lives too. May Saul’s example serve as a warning to us. Let’s seek to please the Lord, not man.

Father, thank You for Your Word that shows us how to live. Remind us of the danger of fearing man when we are concerned about what others may think of us. May we desire to please You alone. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Comment below:

• What do you do when faced with fear?
• Share a time when you went against the crowd to do the right thing.

Additional Scripture References: 

2 Peter 2:19b, “For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.”

Isaiah 51:12-13a, “I, I am He who comforts you; who are you that you are afraid of man who dies, of the son of man who is made like grass, and have forgotten the Lord, your Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth”

Psalm 56:3-4, “When I am afraid, I put my trust in You. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?”

Interested in more verses to combat fear?

Join my newsletter tribe here for FREE PRINTABLE Bible verse cards to help you stand against fear.

Related Post on the Fear of Man

In my previous post, we looked into how the fear of man ensnares us, and how our trust in the Lord is the remedy. Read the post on “Overcoming the Fear of Man” here.