I have found the last couple of years to be an interesting time to lead. This is the understatement of the century but more specifically what this season has highlighted is the difficulty of pleasing people.

I know the goal of leadership isn’t to please people but lets be honest, it’s definitely easier to lead if people are pleased!

When people aren’t pleased with me I often think of Jesus. He was the greatest leader ever, the one person who was perfect, who carried out Gods will exactly, but Jesus didn’t please everyone – He displeased many. That helps me!

Jesus deals with the issue of pleasing others in Matthew 11 after John’s disciples have come to ask if He was the Messiah. He talks to the crowd and asks them who He should compare them to. He uses a cultural phrase they seem to understand and then He says

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.” Matthew 11:18-19

I can identify with this. I know whatever decisions we make we won’t please everyone.

The biggest thing to remember is what Jesus says at the end – wisdom is proved right by her deeds. Our job is to lead by wisdom and let our deeds show that, not the people we please.