Who do you live to please?

One of my favourite genres of books is biography; I love to read about people’s lives and experiences.  Often there are lessons to be learned and challenges and inspiration to be received.  Two such books which I have read recently are the autobiographies of journalist turned climber Rebecca Stephens (who became the first British woman to conquer Everest) and the late MP Jack Ashley, who managed to overcome the shock of becoming totally deaf to continue his much respected career in Parliament.

Part of my role as a church minister is to visit people, and I enjoy the times when those I visit recollect memories from their lives.  Every human life is unique, and over the years, as I have listened to people talking about some of their experiences, I have often thought to myself, “this would make a great autobiography!”  Whenever I mention this thought to the person concerned, the most common answer is, “Oh, no one would want to read about my life.”  Sadly, many people seem to place a rather low value on their life and accomplishments.

On a related topic, some time ago I came across a book written by Stephen Colby, called Principle-Centred Leadership.  In the book he suggests that a person can determine their purpose in life by focussing on the end of their life. He suggests imagining being a guest at one’s own funeral service, together with four people who are familiar with your life.  Imagine that at your funeral service there is, for example, someone from your family, from your church, from your job and also a close friend.  Ask yourself what you would want them to say.  Colby suggests you can determine your purpose in life by wanting to achieve during your lifetime what you would want them to say about you at your funeral.

On the face of it, that sounds reasonable.   The problem with it is that what really matters most in life is not what other people say about us, but what God will say about us. We all need to ask ourselves a vital question: Is my life’s purpose going to be determined by what others may think of me or what God thinks of me?  In other words, who do I most want to please?  The answer to such questions will have a profound impact on our lives.

The apostle Paul urges, ‘find out what pleases the Lord’ (Ephesians 5:10).  Living our lives to please God may not always please those closest to us, nor is it always easy, but it is always the best thing to do.