Yes Men

We see them everywhere in business, politics, and even in the church.

These are “sycophants.” Some just call them “yes men.” These are people who flatter in order to achieve personal gain and get their way. On the surface, flattery can seem beneficial. However, fundamentally, it is deceptive and misleading.

History is filled with examples of sycophants. One noted politician from the recent past was famous for his flattery, freely flattering others on his rise to power. He was known to say one thing to one person, and another to someone else. People who knew him marveled at his ability to make both liberals and conservatives “think he was one of them.” He had a “genius for not only in choosing men, but in using them for his purposes.”

Yet after he left office, his reputation began to decline. One historian explained that this low opinion resulted, in part, from his deceptive and manipulative character.

The Bible also has many examples of sycophants (and people who wanted to be surrounded by them). We read of the time Ahab, Israel’s king, was surrounded by sycophants while Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, rejected them, resolutely desiring to hear from God.

Ahab continued to listen to his “yes men,” while Jehoshaphat listened to Micaiah, a prophet who promised only to say what God told him.

Today, the world is filled with people who try to flatter and manipulate. This is why you need to be grounded in the Word. And why you need to constantly seek God, be sensitive to His Spirit, and commit yourself to Truth.