Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Galatians 1:10

There are two opposing sources of validation—human beings and God—and there is an impossible tension between pleasing the people around us and serving God. Oftentimes, we make decisions in order to seek human approval. In social circles, at work, within relationships, we divert from our faith in order to satisfy the needs, desires, and wants of the people around us. Without realizing it, we tend to live our lives not for our Savior but for the people around us, leading us to compromise our faith, calling, and divine truths.

There is a stark difference between developing healthy relationships—ones where we serve, guide, and help the people we love—and unhealthy relationships that are fueled by people-pleasing. When we prioritize the approval of others over our own divine calling, not only do we do so at the expense of our well-being and authenticity, but we slowly walk away from the most important relationship—God himself.

To be a ‘servant of Christ’ in today’s world means that we have complete allegiance and submission to Jesus and make Him the focal point of all our relationships. Rather than following the patterns and behaviors of those who do not stand with faith—gossiping, lying, deceiving—we place Jesus at our center. In each moment when negative forces grip at us to seek external validation, we hold onto the validation that comes with walking with Him. We act in ways that resemble His character versus the characters in our reality.

When we seek God’s approval alone, there is great freedom we experience—because it is from that state we walk on this earth with integrity, honesty, and authenticity. As Paul boldly declared, we cannot serve both masters. The choice is clear: live for the applause of people or live for an audience of One.