Other People’s Opinion

“You are not what others think you are”

As my wife and I braced for a visit from our new in-laws, we noticed things around the house that did not bother us before. The dinner plates seemed old and dull, the windows did not shine brightly enough, and the hardwood floors squeaked in too many places.

We assumed the minor imperfections around the house would be detected by our guests of honor. The saying, “Good appearance makes for a good impression,” boomed in my head. I was worn out, especially from all the closet cramming and furniture shuffling I had to do.

Even our rose garden we tilled and pruned the week before became a source of worry. As I sat and stared at a blossom of red and white roses — wondering how I was going to get everything done — it hit me how my life hinges on the opinions of others way too much.

The need to hear the voice of approval from friends, colleagues, and even family members, occupied too much of my thoughts, which certainly took away sacred space in my head for hearing God’s whispers. I would sometimes allow the opinions of people I do not know well to disturb my whole day, especially if I got up on the wrong side of the bed.

God does not want us held captive by the opinions and criticisms of those around us that we forget who we are as his sons and daughters.

He wants us to live as the genuine persons he brought us into the world to be, where we seek his approval, thoughts, and words of encouragement. God’s opinion should matter most.

God never changes his mind. He is perfect in all his thoughts and trustworthy in all his ways. In contrast, we mortals, mere shadows passing through, can do a complete turnabout, change our opinions from one moment to the next, break promises, and even speak ill of others for no apparent reason.

God is not human that he should lie, not a human being that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? (Numbers 23:19)

The views of others may seem like a good barometer for measuring our successes and failures. But in the end, only God’s opinion is trustworthy. Only in him are we freed from the hold others may have on us.

You are not what others think you are. You are what God knows you are.

So leave the worries about other people’s opinions in God’s hands. He will never let us down, allowing our trust in him to revitalize his peace in us, the temple of God.