What do people think of you? Why do they think that way? What do you think of yourself? Let’s look at these questions.
If you’re like me, you’ve made a lot of mistakes in your life. Depending on how old you are, you’ve interacted with people in your family, at school, in college, at your workplace, at ball games, in church, in public and anywhere you have “shown yourself”. These people have seen you speaking and acting in certain ways that causes them to form an opinion of you. There are many reasons we may have acted or spoken in negative ways: our temper, trials in our lives, an addiction, response to an attack, a sickness or other things that would cause us to display a negative persona. And the frequency with which we display these negative behaviors has something to do with people’s opinion of us. If we rarely act negatively, people may see only the good things we do or say but if we are always flying off the handle, that will be our legacy. However, we may have been that type of person in the past but have gotten saved or changed our outlook on life, grown up and decided to live in a positive way. But there will still be those people who remember you as you used to be. Maybe they don’t know you now. The way you were in high school may not be who you are now. So, what do we do? We’ll look at that later.
So, what do you think about yourself? Now, there’s an important question! There’s always that old enemy, the devil, who will constantly be trying to remind you of your past and tell you how bad you are. Don’t listen to that! “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7). You have these memories in your mind of your past mistakes and sins but be reminded: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Notice the word “if”. And how about this? “Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.” (Micah 7:18-19). So why do we keep bringing that stuff up? We need to remind ourselves that we are NOT that old person, that we have been forgiven and are presented by Christ before God as, “holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.” (Colossians 1:22). Believe it and declare it! Some others may not see you that way now but that can change. However, there’s One who does see you as you are, God.
What does God think of us? “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, before you were born, I set you apart;” (Jeremiah 1:5). Doesn’t that sound special? “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine.” (Isaiah 43:1). We belong to God. He’s always there. “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” (Jeremiah 3:33). “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” (Ephesians 2:10). We are new, God made us and has great things planned for us and those assigned to us. Don’t listen to the devil’s lies which will draw us away or delay us from God’s plan. God loves us. “And so, we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.” (1 John 4:16).
So, what can we do about what people think of us? We can live every day based on the Word of God and shine His light wherever we go. “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16). We may not be able to change what some think of us but if God is pleased and we see ourselves as who we really are, we are a good servant. So today, Lord, may everything I think, say, do, feel and show be pleasing to You. Amen.
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Thank you, Bill, for this word. I wonder if people sometimes need to see us at our worst so they won’t think we’re perfect – especially if we’re honest about our mistakes. Jesus Christ is The Only One to idolize.