The Only Opinion that Really Matters

Sunday, September 13, 2015


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If your eyes are on the storm
You'll wonder if I love you still
But if your eyes are on the cross
You'll know I always have and always will

The sky is gray...fixin' to storm. They walk in and sit down not far from me. I see the recognition in their eyes. They start to chatter between themselves stealing glances at me, and then the proof comes. Barely audible, they identify me. Talking about me right in front of my face in hushed tones. I know they know the stories about me. The ugly ones that put me in a terrible light. I look straight at them and think, "You don't know me. You have no idea what I have lived through." And it's true. I have never met them, but they seem to have enough information to whisper about me. I walk out of the swirl of words into the approaching storm and look up at the gray horizon only to find a rainbow hanging in the clouds. A gentle reminder from a gentle God that He loves me still. "Don't look at the storm of words falling around you. Their thoughts about you don't count. There is only one opinion about you that matters and it is Mine."

I won't lie to you. I struggle with what others think of me especially as I watch them whisper between themselves. It is their rejection of me that makes me wonder, "Am I  loved?" I have lived through so many relational storms that I have lost sight of His love in the midst of the raining wrath that has fallen on my head. I have looked too long at the storm and forgot about the One who created the rainbow.

But here's the truth...

Their opinion of you doesn't count.
People can't read your heart. They may know only one side of the story and make judgment calls way off the mark. They can see your actions and not your motivations. Their lack of knowledge and insight makes them poor judges of character. People have tremendous power in our lives because they are like mirrors. We look to them to see who we are and how well we are doing. The only problem? They are distorted looking-glasses.

Your opinion of you isn't what matters. As it says in Jeremiah, "The heart is deceitful above all things." We can't even give an honest opinion about ourselves. Sometimes we judge ourselves way too harshly...coming down on every little imperfection. Other times we deem ourselves far more important than we are. We are poor judges of our own character.

The only thing that matters is that He says you matter. Our worth only comes from one source...not the wagging of people's tongues or the self-conscious thoughts swirling in our brains. Only One is worthy to deem us worthy. We have value because we are created in His image. We can't do anything to lose his love or have Him love us more. He just loves us.

He just loves me.

He just loves you.

He always has and always will...


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