You Can't Please Everybody

Daily Reading: Acts 23

Scripture Focus: Brothers, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day. (Acts 23.1)

Devotional Thought: The Romans had given the Sanhedrin sweeping oversight and power.  Not only could they exact religious punishment, but they even had the authority to condemn a person to die for apostasy.  Paul refused, however, to be intimidated by their hatred and anger.  He looked them straight in the eye and declared his innocence.

In recent days, we have been challenged by our readings in Acts to take a stand, even when people don't like it.

Paul was certainly in a hostile crowd as he stood trial before the Sanhedrin.  Yet, he did not compromise his message.  He did not surrender his confidence.  It’s not even that he expected to be delivered without suffering.  His testimony was more like that of the three Hebrew children in Daniel: “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand.  But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up” (Daniel 3.17-18, NIV).    In order to maintain our testimony before a hostile world, we must not compromise.  We must maintain our integrity before God.  That’s what the three Hebrew children did.  That’s what Paul did. 

If we try to please people, we will find ourselves in a hopeless struggle because different people want different things.  Remember, you don’t have to please them.  There is only one you must please: God.  When you know you are right with God, stand firm!  You can't please everybody, so just please God!

Prayer: Father in heaven, help me to live before you in good conscience.  I have only One to please.  That is you.  I offer my life to you as a pleasing sacrifice of love.  Through Jesus, the perfect sacrifice, I pray.  Amen.

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 74.1-8

1 O God, why do you cast us off forever? Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture?

2 Remember your congregation, which you have purchased of old, which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage! Remember Mount Zion, where you have dwelt.

3 Direct your steps to the perpetual ruins; the enemy has destroyed everything in the sanctuary!

4 Your foes have roared in the midst of your meeting place; they set up their own signs for signs.

5 They were like those who swing axes in a forest of trees.

6 And all its carved wood they broke down with hatchets and hammers.

7 They set your sanctuary on fire; they profaned the dwelling place of your name, bringing it down to the ground.

8 They said to themselves, "We will utterly subdue them"; they burned all the meeting places of God in the land.