Whose Opinion Should I Trust?

Posted on by Keith Haney Posted in Congregational Life and Ministry

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We live in an image-driven world.  So we tend to seek and place our self-worth in the opinions of others around us. While I understand that tendency and have fallen into that trap way more times than I chose to admit should that be my life goal?  Should I seek the opinions of others?   While seeking those opinions, should I allow those opinions to shape my life’s decisions, my choices, or define my self image?  How many have allowed our view of who we are to be defined by others, so much so that we have truly lost sight of who we really are?  I cannot begin to tell you how many times people have tried to call me lazy, or an underachiever.  We love to label people.  I pray this blog today changes your definition of who you are and who you allow defining who you are.

Which voice carries more weight?

I would argue that the opinions held by most people are opposite the opinions of the one who knows me best. God knows me best because after all He is the one who created me. So let me compare things I have heard from others with the way God describes me.

Here is just some food for thought this week.

  • When you hear others tell you that are not capable, that there is nothing special about you.  God, the Father who created you would respond with this:“I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” Psalm 139:14
  • When others say that our birth was an accident, that we have no real purpose for being here in the world. The creator would remind you, “Listen to me, coastlands; pay attention, peoples far away. The Lord called me before my birth, called my name when I was in my mother’s womb.” Isaiah 49:1
  • When you hear people say you’re a lost cause there is no hope for you. Your Lord and Savor Jesus Christ, would tell you this, from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, “19 Or don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you? Don’t you know that you have the Holy Spirit from God, and you don’t belong to yourselves? 20 You have been bought and paid for, so honor God with your body.”

 

So just to review, you are fearfully and wonderfully made.  From eternity, you were on the mind of God.  Finally, your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ valued you so much that he gave the paid the ultimate price to save you.  He gave his life as a substitute for yours.  With all that going for you who would you rather listen too; the voices of those around you who honestly may have other agendas in wanting to keep you down?  Or the one who created you, protects you, and redeemed you? I would rather listen to the creator.

 

 

13 thoughts on “Whose Opinion Should I Trust?”

  2. Reply
    dettinger47 says:

    Wonderful encouragement here. You are correct: Christ dying for us is the ultimate statement regarding our value. (BTW, I “found” you on Ken Riddles’ blog, and glad I did.)

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  4. Reply
    Carlene W. says:

    I totally agree Keith. Listening to the Lord and what HE says about us is far more important than what the world thinks. It is easy to get caught up in what other’s think if you don’t stay in the Word, and live it daily. I have always said, at the end of the day, it isn’t going to matter what others think about what I have said or done, but I pray daily that my actions and thoughts will always honor God. And the times when I mess up, I know it right away because of the conviction I feel from the Holy Spirit. That’s where grace comes in.

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  5. Reply
    Nina says:

    Thank you so much for sharing this. We need these reminders. Oftentimes we forget that we have a Holy Father who always and will always love us unconditionally.

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