"It's none of my business what people think of or say about me." Anthony Hopkins.
I've been thinking of this statement in recent weeks. We give a lot of energy to fretting about what others think of us or say 'behind out backs.' We all want to be liked, admired, respected and to believe that people think and speak well of us. Rather than spending our energy in this way, let's begin to pray, each day, that we may BE what we hope people see.
Thinking through the list of descriptive words in the 5th chapter of the book of Galatians, describing the fruit of the Spirit, these are the traits that we, as believers in Jesus Christ, desire to be evident in our lives, I realize that this list will never be attributed to me by spending my time desperately wanting others to see them. My focus is far better spent in cultivating these character traits by living, today, for an audience of One.
As I open God's Word each day, inviting the Holy Spirit to shine his discerning spotlight into my heart, revealing my thoughts, intentions and my need of him, he will create, day by day, a landscape in my life that showcases the traits that I hope people see in my daily encounters.
Don't waste precious and limited energy worrying about what others think of you or what they are saying. Focus on the One who created you for his purpose and is ready to share his amazing grace, through you, as you wait before him in faith and walk in humble confidence knowing he is at work.
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23
