Who You Trying To Please?

Given September 4, 2004
If something you're doing or about to do isn't going well, think about who you think you're doing it for. Does that make sense? We think we know who we're doing a job for or who will see the results but who all is really looking? Here's my example.

It was my week to mow the church grass and a couple of young people were supposed to come help me. Well, guess what? They didn't show up! So I started on the job by myself, no big deal, right? Well, after about 2 1/2 hours, I was getting pretty worn out and realized I had another hour to go before I could finish. I started griping about having to do ALL this myself. People I knew were driving by, waving, going to eat or something. I was hungry too but I had to finish this job before I could have my supper. I was railing on the kids who didn't show up and getting myself pretty steamed about the whole thing. Then....

That small, still voice on the inside said, "Bill, who are you doing this job for anyway? Are you doing it for the pastor, for yourself....who are you mowing MY church grass for?" Oh man! I was convicted big time! I then realized I should be doing this job for the Lord. If the church grass looked good, then all those people driving by might have a better impression of the church. I repented on the spot and asked forgiveness.

After that, even though I was almost exhausted, my frame of mind was that if God was pleased with what I was doing and my attitude about it, then that's all that mattered. Even on the side of the church where no one would ever see, I weed-eated, (is that a word?), anyway. God was watching!

"And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, Colossians 1:10". Since then, I have often remembered this lesson and tried to have the right attitude about anything I'm doing. If for no one else, I'm doing it for the Lord and I want Him to be pleased.