There's a story that comes from the Middle East about an old man, a boy, and a donkey.

And they were traveling the countryside from village to village.

As they passed through the first village, the man led the donkey and the boy was following behind the donkey.

And the people in that first village criticized him so severely.

And they said to him, hey, old man, don't you know what don'tkeys are for?

And donkeys are to be ridden.

So to please the people of that village, he got on the donkey, and the boy followed.

When they reached a second village, the people in that village were irate.

They criticized him so severely when they saw the man in the donkey and the boy following.

They jeered him. Oh man, why don't you make the boy ride with you? The donkey can take both of you together.

So in order to please that the people of that village, he put the boy on the donkey with him and they rode through to the

third village. By the time they reached the third village, the villagers began to mock him.

Hey, old man, you're crazy. There's not room for both of you. This is hot sun. How can you do this to the beast? Both of you riding on him.

So the man got down, picked up the beast, put him on his back, and carried him on. He went on.

What is the meaning? What's the moral of this story? The moral of the story is this. If you try to please people, you're going to be carrying a donkey on your back.

It might not be visible, but you're carrying that donkey.

I can testify to you that people pleasing is a torturous way to live.

It really is.

And the Apostle Paul understood this truth.

And that is why in Galatians chapter 1, verse 10, he asks an all-important rhetorical question.

He asked, am I now trying to win the approval of men or God?

Or am I trying to please men?

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