One of my biggest priorities growing up was to be liked. I needed to be liked. I didn’t like myself and thought if others did, it would cancel my own opinion. That rarely worked.
I think that’s why there is so much emphasis in Scripture against focusing on the approval of men: humans are fickle and God isn’t. His is the only love that is unconditional. I know that now.
Nothing has made this clearer to me than the “cancel culture”. Do the wrong thing. Say the wrong thing. Even think the wrong thing, and the mob will cancel you. Of course, “wrong” is solely determined by the whims of the mob.
Translation: You can’t win.
Hear that again: YOU CAN’T WIN. Unless your convictions are completely fluid, you will eventually get it wrong and immediately voted off the island.
The solution? Cancel the culture. I’m not saying don’t engage culture. I’m saying stop letting it have so much power. If you can’t (and I hope you don’t want to) please everyone, stop trying. You might as well live what you believe.
There’s much talk about “living your truth.” First, that’s an absurd statement: what is meant is there is no absolute Truth–pick what works for you. Sounds like you’re in the clear except believing in absolute Truth is not acceptable truth, so boom, you’re out.
It’s maddening.
So, again, stop trying. Stop being afraid. Don’t be a jerk about it, but stop worrying about winning the approval of a world that will never approve of you. Strip the mob of its power and embrace friendship with the only One who matters.
“The fear of mankind is a snare, but the one who trusts in the Lord is protected.” Proverbs 29:25
God’s got you. Don’t be afraid.
