Jump Start # 1605

Philippians 2:4 “Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.”

  One of my dearest friends, Rickie J., is with us for a couple of days. He is an amazing friend and an incredible preacher. He’ll be speaking for us tonight in our special spring series and I can’t wait to hear him. We have preached at each other’s place many times and have been together in lectureships. We have a common saying that we share often with each other that came from a story I told a long time ago. We end emails with “I wish I was you.”

We were up last night catching up, taking concerns and talking about preaching. In our conversation Rickie shared a great quote he found in a book, “It’s none of my business what you think about me.” That’s a great thought. It’s none of my business what you think about me.

Each person has the right to think what they want. They may think too highly of me than what they should. They may think wrongly about me. They may think bad of me. They might not even thing about me at all. We get all worked up worrying about what others think about us. We want people to like us, but some go out of their way to put so much effort into trying to get others to think highly of them. This is the Hollywood scene. It is also the Main Street scene. This is why bullying is so effective and destructive. We worry about what others think about us. That concern leads to making sure our image is spotless. We want to look good to others, even if we are not good on the inside. Image and perception replace character and substance. And all of this leads to the very things that Jesus noticed in the Pharisees, hypocrisy. They were like a cup that was washed on the outside, but on the inside it remained unclean. They were like tombstones that where white but under the soil was decaying bodies. The Pharisees were concerned what others thought about them. They wanted others to think they were righteous when they weren’t.

Imagine walking though a day and living this statement, “It’s none of my business what you think about me.” So a co-worker doesn’t like you.  A family member doesn’t like how you live within your means. A church member doesn’t like how you are raising your kids. Have you noticed what some thought about Jesus? Some of his own family said that He was “out of his mind.” Some said He had a demon. Some used the racial expression that He was a Samaritan. They criticized Him for what day of the week He healed people. They criticized Him for what town He was from. They didn’t like what his disciples did. They demanded He change. They questioned Him. They accused Him. Jesus wasn’t bothered by what others thought about Him. What He did, was live true to His values, convictions and the will of His Father. Jesus remained true to His purpose and mission. He wasn’t reshaped by what others thought about Him. He didn’t change because others wanted Him to.

That’s what we have to do. Now, if we are not doing right, we ought to listen to what others tell us. But if we are living according to the word of God, walking in the Lord daily, then it doesn’t matter what others think about us. That includes family members. That includes co-workers. That includes church members. This is a hard lesson for those of us that preach. We hear it all. We want to be liked. But if we are more concerned about our image and what people think about us than simply living for Christ, we will always be changing and becoming what other people want. It’s none of my business what you think about me.” I’m going to keep doing what God says. You may not like me. That’s your business. You may “de-friend” me. That’s your business. You may not invite me. That’s your business. It’s not my business to be concerned about what you think about me.” I am to please the Lord. If you don’t like that, that’s not my problem. It’s not my business what you think about me.

After Rickie and I talked about that statement, we came up with another expression. “It’s none of my business what you think about me…but it is my business what I think about you.” I am in control of my mind, my heart and my attitude. What I think about you, is my business. I am to be kind, compassionate and loving toward you. I am to pray for you. You may not like me, but I still need to be Christ like towards you. This is nothing more than the golden rule of Matthew 7. I am to do unto you as I would want you to do to me. You may not ever do what you should to me, however that will not stop me from doing what I should to you. The golden rule is not a response or a reaction to how you treat me. If you are nice, then I will be nice. If you ignore, then I will ignore. No, rather, if you are not nice, I still will be nice. If you ignore, I won’t ignore.

It is my business what I think about you. It is my business what I do towards you. It is my business how I treat you. We seem to get this all backwards. We go home in tears, like a middle school girl, if someone says something unkind to us. That’s their business. They may not know the whole story. They may be influenced by other things. They may just be mean. What they think about me, is not my business. We can get so worked up and bothered about what others think about us. Worrying about what others think about us has led some to switch jobs. It has led some to find another church. We put so much attention into what others think about us. We cannot control what others think.

Just live a righteous life in the grace of the Lord. Don’t worry what others think about you. You know. The Lord knows. I’ve had people come to me all upset because they believed someone didn’t like them. I don’t know what the solution to that problem is. Just live your life. It’s none of your business what they think about you. But what you think about them, IS certainly your business. That’s where we need to put our focus. We must be sure that we don’t act in ways that God wouldn’t be pleased with.

Maybe our feelings would be hurt less if we understood that “it’s none of your business what others think about you.” That’s a great statement. I hope to get that into my DNA. It certainly would make the day go more smoothly.

Roger