Do you ever wonder what people think of you? Maybe it is just me and my insecurities. I deal with a lot of people and there are so many times where I think, “I am curious if they like me” or “do they think I am a good leader” or “would they trust me for help” or “I hope they know how much I value them.” I was thinking what if I could crawl into these folk’s heads and get a snapshot of what they think. Then it hit me. I am not sure I want to know. Maybe ignorance is bliss. So is it better to know or not know? Either way, I wish I just cared less.
A Pastor's Thoughts 
I think many of us wonder what other’s think of us and I am like you, I am not sure I would want to know. The only person we truly need to wonder about is our God and how he see’s us. One thing I think about and try to live up to is something you said in a sermon a few months ago and that was how when I meet Jesus I want Him to say “good job!”
To some degree, we do need to be sensitive to what others think about us. In our homegroup we are having a series of lessons about the book titled “unchristian”. We recently studied a section about the life-style gaps between younger born-again Christians and non-believers of the same age group – for the most part there was no major difference. This is very thought provoking and somewhat convicting for me; and the results of our lifestyle are conclusions that others make about us or Christianity in general. No, gauging how others perceive us cannot be all we focus on but it needs to be somewhere in our cluttered minds in terms of how they think about us as Christ-followers – easier said then done.
Gee, Pastor, I would’ve thought that turning 30 would have changed all that. 🙂 Actually, I think that as one matures chronologically in life as well as spiritually, those thoughts change or at lease come about less often.
There are certainly times when I think, “Oops. I said something I shouldn’t have. What will people think?” I guess I’m blessed/cursed that people think with me they can just spill it and tell me what they think. I’ve been on the receiving end of some ‘concern’ more times than I care to count! Trust me, it’s better NOT to know what people think. God does enough convicting in my heart.
That being said, I observe the younger generation getting swept up into all that. Peer pressure has always been around but it seems as though the stakes of “fitting in” are higher than ever. I do not envy parents of tweens and teens!
One of the things I think is most compelling is when someone “cool” lives an authentic life for Jesus and shows our young people how to follow the One and Only and be in the world and not of it. Come to think of it, people my age need that too.
Congrats, btw, on launching the blog. It’s addictive, isn’t it?
Jan O, Chris H. and Jen H. – good thoughts. As I have thought about this a little more, I think there is a weird trend in my own world. The more success I have at something (or maybe perceived success) the more I care what others think. I would have thought that would not have been the case. Self evalutation – good, self-obsession – bad.
You definantely do not want in my head! As an FYI, I like you, trust you, and would come to you for help. Oh yeah and you are NOT the only one that thinks this. Just be yourself and God will use that. Some people may like you and others may not. That is just part of life. As I say that I know that I need to take my own advice! If you ever find the right balance and solution, please fill me in!
It’s an obsessive cycle. We want the affirmation that we are liked and trusted and the more we want it the more insecure it makes us and the less effective we become. I struggle so much with these crazy cycles!! It all comes down to living for God and doing the best we can. Probably not everyone will like us if we are doing that!