But as we were approved of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts. (1 Thess. 2:4). 

Paul speaks of himself and his fellow missionaries as having been “approved of God to be put in trust with the Gospel”  “Approval” is the result of being proved, of having stood the test. Paul had gone through testing times at Damascus, Jerusalem, in his home city of Tarsus, and at Antioch, and other places too. This would have involved experiences with brethren, the world, in his home, and in the local churches over a period of about 14 years, and now he was to be entrusted with the Gospel. “To be put in trust” implies a proved trustworthiness. God had committed the gospel to Paul, and Paul had acted as being responsible to Him. It is a serious thing to be entrusted with the Gospel. Heaven and hell, human destiny, the Person of Christ and the cross are all involved in the preaching. The Thessalonians on their part, had received the word, not as the word of Paul, but as the word of God Himself, addressed to them by the mouth of Paul (1 Thess 2:13).

The preaching of the Gospel is not always popular amongst an unbelieving community. Most do not want to hear about sin and judgment, about the utter necessity of men to depend upon the death of Christ in order to be saved, about the demand that a person commit all he or she is and has to Christ in order to worship and serve the Lord. In preaching the gospel Paul would not have wanted to offend people, but the gospel does sometimes bring offence. He would not have been indifferent as to whether they were pleased or not pleased with his message, but the object of his preaching was to please the Lord; it was to declare the truth, and to obtain the approval of God whatever people might think of it.

In trying to persuade people, we may be tempted to alter our position just enough to make our message more palatable. It can be a temptation to gear one’s message to certain  people in the congregation, to tell them what they want to hear, and finish up never saying anything that will reach their consciences, i.e. of speaking to the gallery! Paul never changed the message to make it more acceptable, but he did tailor his methods to each audience. Similarly our presentation must be altered to be appropriate to the situation, but the truth of the gospel must never be compromised. The final test of the preaching is “what does God think of it?” It is God who tries or tests our hearts.

Those who share the purpose of Christ and faithfully publish His gospel are well-pleasing to God, even though it might meet with few results. The proclamation of the gospel itself is an unspeakable blessing. Many will reject the gospel, whatever the faithfulness and self-denial of the preacher. Yet in this world that curses God, to speak the message of God's grace is a work of courage and greatly pleasing to Him. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation. How can God not be pleased when we tell it to others?

In Alice in Wonderland the king said to the White Rabbit, "Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end; then stop." That's good advice for those who have been entrusted with the gospel.