Worrying what they think…
It was only brought to my attention rather recently that worrying (or obsessing) about what others think is a form of idolatry. Justifying ourselves before man is worship, it’s focusing on what they think over doing the work of obeying and honoring God.
This sort of concern over what people think can cause us to contort ourselves and even adopt behaviors that lead us into sin.
For example, if someone unjustly has a negative opinion of you, you may choose to let it go saying, “That’s ok. They can have that view, they don’t know my heart,”
OR one can stew and spend time justifying oneself, fighting a mental fight with a fictional opponent that is based on the real perpetrator but often impersonalized and exaggerated-makes it easier to fight them and for us to feel like a victim, doesn’t it?
Often the next step is to look for the splinter in their eye because, “they’re not so perfect…” and suddenly we find ourselves far down a path of justifying our dislike or even hatred for someone based on their imperfections all because they hurt us by having a negative opinion of us that may or not be justified in the first place.
You may have guessed from my writing here that I have for sure done this until one day the Lord showed me what a waste of energy it was to conjure up all this negativity in the process of trying to sort out or understand why someone treated me in a certain manner.
He brought to my mind Micah 6:8:
He has shown you, O man
what is good and what the Lord requires of thee,
to do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with your God.
It’s a simple assignment really with nothing in there about justifying myself to others.
and then:
to Philippians 2:7
But made himself of no reputation and took upon him a form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of man.
If Jesus standing before his accusers(that were empirically wrong) didn’t choose to flex his power, didn’t justify himself to them, didn’t ask the Father to punish them for all the false things they said and thought because he knew he was right with God and the only slander he would fight against was that against the Most High and not himself, can’t we also let some idle gossip or unwarranted cold shoulders go?
I know there are people in the secular world that will tell you that “what other people think of you is none of your business…” and maybe they truly believe that and are able to live by that conviction.
For me it wasn’t until I realized on a deeper level that I am free. Free from letting what others think about me because what my Lord sees is actually that matters and He is not consulting any human being to evaluate my character or behavior, He goes straight to the heart.
Every single thing will pass away and all that will matter is my heart and whether it is occupied by a love for my Savior or the things of this world.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace
What people think about you or me is for sure things of earth and should be treated as such.
You have been justified once in Christ and that’s all the justification you need.
Focusing our life here on pleasing our Father is all we are called to and I can promise you that in doing that, you’re going to piss some people off, but if we simply focus on obeying Him, then we don’t have to worry about what people think because we are doing the work of our Father that will never lead us to sin against anyone, but will at times cost us a relationship or two, our earthly reputation and our pride.
But don’t worry.
Everything will be revealed
Luke 12:2
Don’t let what others think be your master, your compass or your golden calf, you will be held accountable for that!
xoxo,
Sarah
PS-Let’s not forget to pray for true friends and people in Christ who will lead us back to Him if and when we ourselves start to act petty or engage in gossip. The good ones will always orient us to worrying about what our Father thinks and not toward people-pleasing or maligning behavior.
The wounds of a friend are faithful, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
Proverbs 27:6
