7 Lies Threatening Your Servant LeadershipSample

The Lie of Approval

Paul wrote, “Don’t work only while being watched, as people-pleasers…” As a leader, you should work for God instead of for the approval of others.

For one example, notice Hollywood. But it’s too easy to point fingers. How about a more difficult target—you? Are you a people pleaser? Can you honestly say you do everything “wholeheartedly…for the Lord?”

My guess is that you don’t. You’re a leader. You’re breathing. Which happens to mean, you sin. This stuff isn’t easy to live up to. It requires constant prayer, submission, and worship.

Here's what I think Paul is saying. We are to be trying to crush our sins and desires. That we should be trying to worship, think about God, and love others rather than for some personal, ulterior motive.

Spiritual fruit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. We know this from memory. You might’ve stopped reading because you knew what I was going to write after I wrote “…love, joy, peace…” But please understand, the craving for approval is real and can affect all of us. It leads us away from God. It stops us short of fulfillment—which is another way of saying—toward emptiness.

How do you overcome the lie of approval? Focus on living in ways that you already know will please God. You end up, not with thousands of ideas, but with two—loving God and serving others.

Lord, would you help me walk on the road of self-control and discipline that pleases God rather than trying to please people around me?