There is no point in trying to please the crowd. You cannot please sinners who are only pleased with themselves.

Jesus was hedonistic and people criticized Him for it. John the Baptist was ascetic and people criticized him for it, too!

In Luke 7:31-35, Jesus laments that people criticized Him for being a glutton and a drunkard, and they criticized John for being too strict with himself. If you remember, Jesus went to wedding parties and even turned water into wine, whereas John was very strict and lived in the desert, eating honey and locusts….

So, no matter the lifestyle, people found something they didn’t like about them and didn’t accept them. So, the conclusion is that if you are a follow of Christ, do NOT try to please the crowd. It’s a fool’s gold. No matter how much you endear yourself to the crowd, they can turn on you in a second and hate your guts.

Do not be happy that you got 150 happy birthday wishes on Facebook.
Do not get depressed if you got none!
Do not be dismayed if you lose friends because you acted on your conviction.
Do not make any decision based upon how people would react – they won’t care in a year’s time.
Do not judge your value either as high or low depending on what people say about you.

There is only one whose opinion matters. God’s.

If this is hard for you, then take action. Disable your social network account. Permanently! When someone says something hurtful, immediately turn to what God said about you – “He would did not spare His own Son but gave him up for us all, how will Him not also with us give us all things!” Romans 8:32.

You are who God says you are. Not the crowd – this includes your “friends”, family and even your spouse.

PH