You can’t please everyone – or can you?

We’ve all heard that phrase – you can’t please everyone.  And it certainly seems to be a truism of human nature.  Each one has his or her own desires or plans or points of view, and getting them to mesh can seem difficult if not impossible.  Then it can sometimes feel as if you either have to give up and give in to achieve any peace – or refuse to budge in order to get your way.  Neither option seems quite right.

The Bible presents a different alternative though.  Of Jesus it is written that God was well pleased with him (see Luke 3:22).  And although Jesus’ virgin birth gave him a relationship with his heavenly Father that is unique, Jesus also made clear that God was the Father of all (see the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6 for example). Other new testament writers, including Paul and John, agree that we are all the children of God (see for example Rom 8:14 or 1 John 3:2).  Doesn’t it follow then that God is well pleased with all of us, His beloved children?

Mary Baker Eddy in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures explains it this way “It should be thoroughly understood that all men have one Mind, one God and Father, one Life, Truth, and Love.  Mankind will become perfect in proportion as this fact becomes apparent, war will cease and the true brotherhood of man will be established. Having no other gods, turning to no other but the one perfect Mind to guide him, man is the likeness of God, pure and eternal, having that Mind which was also in Christ.” (page 467)  (BTW, can you see the many allusions to biblical concepts in her writing?)

To me, this means that as I’m clearer and clearer about my relationship with God – a God who is well pleased with me – I also become clearer and clearer about my relationship with God’s creation, a creation also pleasing to God.  Therefore, I can’t see or find or be influenced by anything that is not in or of God.  This is what Paul calls walking in the Spirit.

This kind of clarity – spiritual thinking – helps to alleviate discord of all kinds.  Remember, God is well pleased with you.

Melissa Hayden is a Christian Science practitioner in Salem, OR. You can find more information and additional articles at this link.  If you like what you’re reading, click the “add me” button.