What Will People Think?

Why do we care so much about what other people think?  If we are truly honest with ourselves,  almost every decision we make is ran through that filter.  How we look, what kind of job we have, how much money we make, what kind of car we drive, where we live, how clean our house is, what our kids wear, how our kids act, what church we go to, what we say, where we go, who we talk to...even what we eat...we make all of these

 decisions based on what other people will think of us. 

We have created a society that is so judgmental about every little thing.  Now just one small mistake or one sin…even if the sin is only perceived to be true…can completely change everyone’s perspective of a person and an entire family.   This has caused great turmoil for Christian families, especially those in ministry.  Of course, as ministry leaders, we are held to a higher standard, but we are all imperfect people and we are going to sin and make mistakes.  Our children are going to sin and make mistakes.  Many times, this causes those of us in ministry to be so hard on our own children… 

because what will people think if our kids mess up????

      As I was praying one morning this week, I was thinking about all of this, and as I always do…I go back to the basic question, “What did Jesus do?”  Did He care about what people thought of Him?   Did He try to impress people with the way He dressed, the house He lived in, His job or how much money He made…or the church He went to?  Did He care about what the religious leaders thought?  Was He seeking approval from anyone on this Earth?  No, He only cared about what God thought.  And He made God proud… 

[Matthew 17:5 NIV] “While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!"

As I prayed, I was reminded that Jesus himself was born in scandal.

  [Matthew 1:18-19 NLT] “This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her fiancé, was a good man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.”

Why do you think God chose to come to Earth in this way?  Because He didn’t care what anyone thought!!  He knew the truth and that was all that mattered.   But Mary's becoming pregnant before marriage was great ammunition for the Pharisees against Jesus. She was labeled a fornicator and Jesus an illegitimate child.    I’m sure they brought it up every chance they got. 

    [John 8:40-42 NIV] “As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. You are doing the works of your own father." "We are not illegitimate children," they protested. "The only Father we have is God himself." Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me.”

The Pharisees were the “religious” people and they lived to judge and condemn.  They couldn’t even recognize Jesus because all they saw was the scandal of His birth, that He was poor and humble, and that He didn’t look or act they way THEY thought He should.   I pray that we are not guilty of being like the Pharisees.  Jesus had very strong feelings toward them…

read Matthew 23. 

  [Matthew 23:27-28 NIV] "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.”

We all need to examine our hearts and make sure that we only do things out of love for our Heavenly Father, not to impress others.  The last time I checked, we are all human.  That means we are all imperfect…even people in ministry.  But… what if we all began to love people like Jesus did, and began to have tunnel vision like He did; only looking to the Father for approval…Oh, what pressure would be taken off of us!!!!! 

[1 Samuel 16:7 NIV] “The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

The next time you start to worry about what “people” might think….take that thought captive.  We only need to worry about what Jesus thinks.  If you aren’t sure what He thinks…read your bible.  It holds all of the answers.