When it comes to forming opinions about ourselves, a lot of us are very sensitive to what others say about us.
News flash: Every single person would form an opinion about you, whether you do something or remain nothing!
Personally, I experienced first-hand the truth of that statement. You see, in a bid to become a ‘people person’, I was becoming a ‘people pleaser’.
For a while, I thought it worked. Everyone seemed to like me – males, females, seniors and juniors…
…that was until The Woman entered the picture.
Really, there’s was nothing I could do to please this woman!
It seemed as if she took pleasure in embarassing and humiliating me with every chance she got.
Back then, I didn’t understand, neither did I appreciate the lesson she was inadvertently teaching me.
Eight years later, it’s crystal clear.
You’d lose sight of yourself if you try to conform into other people’s opinion of you.
At that young age, I had been unconsciously trying to be the nice guy that did not want to offend anybody.
I didn’t want to disappoint the ‘expectations’ that other people had of me.
So, I put unnecessary pressure on myself to ‘perform’ and meet up with the opinions of others.
I most likely would have continued to tread down that path today, were it not for the intervention of THAT woman!
The lesson was driven home while I was meditating on some verses I came across many years back.
‘Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He was come from God, and went to God; He riseth from supper, and laid aside His garments; and took a towel, and girded Himself. After that He poureth water into a bason and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith He was girded’ (John 13:3-5).
Wow!
Jesus could perform the menial task of washing His disciples’ feet because He knew Who He was.
He was secure in the fact that all things had been given to Him.
Jesus didn’t feel pressured to meet up with the standards that were expected of a highly respected Rabbi.
As long as Jesus knew He was doing what the Father was doing per time (John 5:19), He didn’t give a rip about the opinions of anybody else – be it the Pharisees, the multitude, the Gentiles or even His disciples.
Look, we all know that doctors wear ward coats. But I tell you the truth, a ward coat without the doctor is just another piece of cloth. It’s the doctor in himself that gives value to the ward coat!
Similarly, when you make up your mind to see yourself the way God sees you, no one’s opinions matter anymore.
You’d secure yourself in God’s Love for you.
You’d develop an outlook on life that remains the same, regardless of people’s criticisms or approvals.
You won’t live your life trying to conform to other people’s expectations and opinions of you.
Rather, you’d get into the Word and walk in the reality of how God sees you right now.
Granted, you might make mistakes and errors of judgement along the line.
You might get it wrong at times and make a big mess of things.
People would not see eye-to-eye with you on so many issues.
So what? Big deal!
I assure you, as long as you secure yourself in God’s Love for you, you’d have what it takes to learn from the experiences and move on.
Jesus was secure because He only had an audience of One – His Father.
You’d also find security too, when you come to the realization that, ultimately, only One Person’s opinion matters, and that’s God’s!
