“I don’t care what you think of me. |  |
Ultimately, only what God says about us really counts. And in this sense, our day-to-day anxieties about the approval of man are overcome by the “Yes” the Father has declared over us in Christ. See 2 Corinthians 1:20–22. God always believes in us and promises us whatever we ask for or have faith in.
Yet some verses suggest we should be caring what people think. Consider Romans 12:17, Romans 15:1–2, 1 Timothy 3:7 and
1 Peter 2:12.
Other verses however suggest the opposite! Consider Galatians 1:10; Colossians 3:22–24, and 1 Thessalonians 2:4.
So what do we do about this tension?
The answer has to do with Jesus.
Yet some verses suggest we should be caring what people think. Consider Romans 12:17, Romans 15:1–2, 1 Timothy 3:7 and
1 Peter 2:12.
Other verses however suggest the opposite! Consider Galatians 1:10; Colossians 3:22–24, and 1 Thessalonians 2:4.
So what do we do about this tension?
The answer has to do with Jesus.
"We do care — really care — about what others think of Christ. Their salvation hangs on what they think of Christ. And our lives are to display his truth and beauty. So we must care what others thinks of us as representative of Christ. Love demands it. But we ought not to care much what others think of us for our own sake. Our concern is ultimately for Christ’s reputation, not ours. The accent falls not on our value or excellence or virtue or power or wisdom. It falls on whether Christ is honored by the way people think of us."
John Piper, Life As A Vapor
The point of caring about what others think of us is focused specifically on caring about what they think of Jesus. It is foundational for why we should love others. It’s not that we get a good name, but that our character commends Christ.
Its not that we get a good name, its that Christ gets a good name!
Consider the example of Timothy. He had that kind of character. In Philippians 2:21–22 Paul says that he hopes to send Timothy to them soon. Why? Because there is no one like him — everyone else “seeks their own, not Jesus Christ.”
And then he explains, “But you know Timothy’s character".
It sounds a bit ironic. Timothy actually had the reputation of not caring about his reputation but instead caring about the reputation of Jesus. May we be the same.
And then he explains, “But you know Timothy’s character".
It sounds a bit ironic. Timothy actually had the reputation of not caring about his reputation but instead caring about the reputation of Jesus. May we be the same.
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