Man-Pleasing

It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.
— Psalm 118:8-9

Praise ye the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul. While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being. Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish. Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:
— Psalm 146:1-5

What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
— Psalm 8:4

Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
— Acts 5:29

An Introduction to the Sin of Man-Pleasing, or that overvaluing the Favour and Censure of Man, which is the Fruit of Pride, and a great cause of Hypocrisy; or, Directions against Idolizing Man, by Richard Baxter.

Introduction

Directions Against Inordinate Man-Pleasing

As in other cases, so in this, iniquity does not simply consist in the heart’s neglect of God, but in the preferring of some competitor, and the prevalence of some object which stands up for an opposing interest. Thus, obeying man before God, or against Him, and valuing the favour and approbation of man before or against the approbation of God, and fearing man’s censure or displeasure more than God’s, is an idolising of man, or setting him up in the place of God. It diverts our chief observance, care, labour, pleasure, and grief into this human, fleshly channel, making all that should be divine in our hearts and lives become merely human. This is a great and dangerous sin, partaking of impiety, hypocrisy, and pride, and it deserves special attention in my directions, along with watchfulness and consideration to escape it.

As all other creatures, so especially man, must be regarded and valued only in a due subordination and subservience to God. If they are valued otherwise, they become His enemies, and are therefore to be despised, becoming the principal engine of the ruin of those who overvalue them. See what Scripture says of this sin:

Isaiah 2:22: “Cease from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of?”

Matthew 23:9: “And call no man your father upon the earth; for one is your Father, which is in heaven.”

Matthew 23:8: “And be not called Rabbi, for one is your Master, even Christ: but he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.”

Jeremiah 17:5: “Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm.”

Psalm 118:6, 8-9: “The Lord is on my side; I will not fear what man can do unto me. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man—yea, in princes.”

Job 32:21-22: “Let me not accept any man’s person, neither let me give flattering titles unto man: for I know not to give flattering titles; in so doing my Maker would soon take me away.”

Job 21:4: “As for me, is my complaint to man?”

Galatians 1:10: “Do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be a servant of Christ.”

1 Corinthians 4:3: “But with me it is a very small thing to be judged by you, or by man’s judgment.”

Luke 14:26: “If any man comes to me, and does not hate his father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.”

Matthew 5:11-12: “Blessed are you when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad: for great is your reward in heaven.”

Ephesians 6:6; Colossians 3:22: “Not with eye-service, as men pleasers.”

1 Thessalonians 2:4: “So we speak, not as pleasing men but God, who tries our hearts.”

Jude 16: “Having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.”

This is enough to show what Scripture says about inordinate man pleasing or excessive respect for man. I shall now proceed to direct you on how to escape it.

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