Pleasing People

Pleasing people is not only something that I constantly struggle with as an idol in my life (yes, idol), but it is also the title of a great new book that is helping me with that struggle. Lou Priolo has written a great book titled, Pleasing people: How not to be an “approval junkie”.
He begins by characterizing the approval junkie, and showing me that my “people pleasing” is idolatrous, especially when I am desiring the approval of man above the approval of God. One of the signs of an approval junkie would be the oversensitivity to correction, reproof or the disapproval of others.
I definitely fit the bill of a people pleaser. I was the child who really wanted to please my parents, and as I have built my own home now with my husband, I struggle with making sure I please God first as I submit to my husband. I also struggle daily with things as seemingly important as caring what people think about the behavior of my children to something as silly as who might feel felt out if I didn’t invite them to a party. Instead of praying that God would direct my actions, I tend to worry what other people think. Instead of praying for my children and having a peace knowing that we are trying to follow God’s instruction in raising and disciplining them, I am often worried about the impression they are making upon others. All these desires, Priolo points out, are idolatrous. Yikes. I have a lot of work to do.
One of my favorite quotes from the book is, “You can please some of the people some of the time, and all of the people none of the time, but you can please God most of the time.”
Very good book. I am almost done, but it is one that I will need to be reminded of time and time again.