If the truth be known, people are deluded into thinking that their mental well-being and sense of fulfillment in life is based in their faith in God when it is really based on human opinion. They are fixed on what others think of them. The natural and legitimate concern for a Christian is not to do anything to cause reproach on the name of Christ or blaspheme God. We should, also, want to be without offence, i.e., not cause others to stumble in faith by our example.
However, as much as we may try, eventually, we will experience someone’s disapproval of us. It may even get nasty, but you can’t go around trying to start a fight or correcting everything you hear. You only make it worse because they’ll think you are trying to cover up or save face. Consider our great pioneer and captain of our faith, Jesus Christ. Unlike us, he was flawless. Yet, he was accused of being a wine drinker and a friend of publicans and sinners. Did he go around trying to change their opinion of him? No sir. The reason he didn’t is because he was not a “man-pleaser” (Gal. 1:10, 1 Thess. 2:4, Col. 3:22-25; John 4:44, 12:42-43). Jesus stayed the course in His mission, knowing that He would be rejected by men. He came unto His own people, and they did not receive Him. Truly, He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And, when a mass mob cried out, “Away with Him. Crucify Him,” imagine how devastating that would be if His self-worth was measured by men’s approval of Him. Yet, this is life’s greatest accomplishment for many. The preacher can say at the funeral, “He had no enemies,” or “everybody that knew him, liked him.”
Our self-worth is measured by our relationship with God through Christ. It does not matter what people think because we know that people are easily deluded or influenced by mob rule. All one bitter enemy could do is start some twisted rumor and get people talking about it, and before long, the whole world could turn on you. Although we should try to avoid creating any potential rumor from insight into human behaviors, we are not going to be able to avoid all of it. Eventually, we will let others down. This human element is to be expected but know this…. if you could do it all perfectly, you would still have people turn on you shouting, “Crucify, crucify.” Do not let that discourage you and influence your self-worth. God is your loving Father. Jesus is your elder brother who went to the cross for you and continues even now to make intercession for you. If you stand alone, or with others by your side, stand with Jesus and you are more than conquerors.