Like Water Off A Duck's Back

By Anonymous -
Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 1 Peter 2:2
Have you ever watched water run off a duck’s back? That’s how you should treat unkind comments. ‘But they hurt my feelings,’ you say. Stop and think about that: if they are really your feelings, others have no control over them, other than what you give them. The truth is, almost everybody is more preoccupied with themselves than with you; therefore, you know more about yourself than they will ever know. It’s not what others say about you that counts. It’s what God says about you and what you say about yourself that counts. When you know who you are, you won’t allow others to define your worth. Jesus knew that His accusers were ignorant; that’s why they feared Him. People fight what they don’t understand. The mind tends to resent what it cannot master. Jesus never begged anyone to believe in Him. Why? Because He knew that integrity cannot be proven, it must be discerned. So He stayed focused on His goal. His enemies accused Him of being possessed by devils, but He paid no attention. He just continued to cast out devils. He didn’t try to look good, He was good. He didn’t try to be truthful, He was truthful. It’s human to want to be loved, valued and admired, but your enemies will never leave your reputation untarnished. You must rise above that and not allow what others say about you to change your opinion of yourself. Be like the New Testament believers. ‘The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name [of Jesus]’ (Acts 5:41).

Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me to focus on what You think of me and not what others say about me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

- Claire


The previous is from Lutheran Church Charities, as written by Tim Hetzner on April 27, 2015.

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