Fearlessly Courageous
Desk of Dennis Piller
8 7 2024
Have you ever, unwittingly, given a stranger emotional control of your life?
Unsolicited opinions. Angry tirades. Profane responses.
Critics, complainers or just people who always see the glass as half empty or declare you empty,
all deserve to be ignored. They have no stake in your life or your journey, they don’t know you and they don’t have your best interest at heart.
So why do we listen?
Just because you went to school with someone 20 or 50 years ago doesn’t mean they know you. Honestly I was a bit of a mess back then.
It is amazing how willing people are to become a willing hostage, giving up their sense of self-worth,
to a posting on Instagram or Facebook or some backhanded compliment
or negative word you received from someone else.
The truth is they don’t care about you. They don’t know you.
Because you vote for Trump or another candidate doesn’t make you a bad person.
It doesn’t make you the names they call that silo of people in their political trash talk.
They are angry in themselves and toward themselves and it spills over into people all around them. Mostly to people they don’t know or have any well-being for.
It’s why many have taken an exit from so many public platforms.
It just isn’t worth the hurt.
As someone once said, “Never take criticism from someone you wouldn’t take advice from.”
Have you ever had someone smear your name? Repeat something that was a half-truth? Or outright defame your name?
We have all bled at times. We have listened and thought the worst of what people we do care about will think when they hear this. When the truth is these people do not matter. They more than likely did not come to you with a problem and try and settle it as the good book says. The way regular people should. Go to them. Talk about it. Talk it out. Privately!
May the God of peace be with you all. Amen. Romans 15:33
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
So where will you turn when the ugliness and half-truths invade your space? Will you surrender your peace? Will you allow these people who don’t know you or care about you, to own your emotions or will you turn to Jesus?
The truth is those who know you. Will not listen to the opinions of a gossiper spreading ugly things about you. They will think the best of you. 1 Cor 13:5 – Matt 7:12
Your real friends and family have the right to get in your face. To call you out in love because they care and have the patience to listen and help.
One set of voices spouts the uglies of anxiety, accusation, and half truths and our friends lead us through growing through our mistakes, and helping us to repent if necessary, but always provide a forward motion to grow in Christ and become deeper friends. We cannot give these other people emotional control over our lives that drive us into our cocoons and steal our peace.
Lauren Daigle – Noel
