What other people think about you is none of your business.

You will find this sentiment echoed in many lists that give advice on how to find peace in the world.
I understand that always doing things to please everyone else is a lifelong sentence of misery, but the truth remains that we do want others to think well of us. Perhaps it would be better stated that -- "What people you have no respect for think of you isn't important."

We have little control over how other people will react to the things we do and say.
Sure, we can appeal to their egos and say and do things to manipulate their idea of who we are and what we believe, but what does that gain us? Most of us don't live out our lives as politicians and fund raisers that are dependent on persuading people we don't like to shower us with their favor. All we can really do is be true to ourselves and our beliefs.

I've been told (by someone with obviously opposing political views) that I have let my political beliefs shape my (apparently heretical) religious beliefs. That is simply not true.
My beliefs on what is right and wrong, good and evil shape my views on everything else -- politics, social issues, economics, ecology -- everything. People that know me well already know that. Anyone that believes otherwise doesn't know me well enough to comment or is trying to manipulate me into changing my point of view and has an over inflated idea of how much I care about their opinion of me.

I have to admit that I do care about what people might think of Jesus because of me. And I care what people might think of Jesus because of others, too.
Actually it would be more correct to say that I care about what non-believers think about Jesus because of me and others that profess to be Christians. To that end -- all I can do is be true to the teachings of Jesus and live life accordingly.

Recently, many Christian leaders have come under fire for their politics, for sexual immorality, or for poorly thought out comments.
I am not (nor should you be) a follower of other Christians. I am a follower of Jesus.
I am not a Christian leader. I have no desire to have followers.
But if you are (or desire to be) a follower of Jesus, I invite you to walk with me. I know that your path may not always be the same as my path, but if we can encourage one another for a short time, let's do it.

I've taken a bit of a break from blogging in the early weeks of 2018, but I think I think it's time to get back to it. I do want to write more about my beliefs and the Un-organized Religion that I started writing about late in 2017.

Have a grand weekend!
John <><