Pleasing people and agreeing to their demands/expectations for acceptance is a form of idolatry. While pastoring many years ago, I had a mother speak with me about her son being peer-pressured. I listened to her. After she finished, she asked me for my thoughts. I responded, “Ma’am, teach your son about idolatry because peer-pressure is idolatry." Anytime you agree to the demands of someone else for acceptance, love, admiration or popularity you’re practicing idolatry. You’re denying the calls of God to accept the call of man. In fact, you’re refusing to love yourself enough to stand on your own convictions due to the idolization you’ve created for those around you. I’ve learned that I am in a problematic relationship when I have a difficult time saying “NO!” In fact, the relationship is downright toxic when I realize that my “NO” could alienate the other person/people or lead to the relationship falling apart altogether. If the other person is only interested in my “YES” then there’s a problem. Their acceptance of me is contingent on my obedience to them. This is dangerous because it means I run the risk of disrespecting and disobeying God to please my family, friends, coworkers, employees or the like. The freedom I have from the ability to tell people “NO” is refreshing. In the past, I’d be so hard pressed to always say “YES” because I wanted to preserve the relationship. I no longer live that way. I love myself enough to honor self and God above others. There’s no amount of acceptance in this world that could make me let go of the freedom I’ve found. And I’ve come to conclude that I’m okay and dope all by myself if everyone decided to walk away from me after I chose to love self and God. Selah.