If we forget who we really are and base some decisions without contemplating what is most important in life, we may need to revisit the following article.
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” Colossians 3:12-14
There are few opportunities to make friends or meet new people. Between daily obligations and chores, we forget to deepen our bonds with new people.
Perhaps even at times we begin to develop a strange obsession with pleasing others. There is nothing wrong with wanting others to like us, but when we put aside our beliefs or convictions just to make friends we should set off an alarm.
It doesn't matter what other people think of you. If we try to act according to other people's expectations in order to gain their approval, we will run into uncertain versions of our own selves.
If we follow the way of the Lord, to serve him with gratitude in our daily work and making decisions to glorify him, the opinions of others will no longer matter.
“Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me..” John 12:25-26
What kind of friendships are we reaping by wanting to please others?
The image that one projects should be natural, not that of a person willing to give up his essence for a friend.
To emphasize, no one can take us seriously or respect us as a person if the convictions we hold suddenly vanish at the prospect of a new friendship.
The importance of teaching by example, of the importance of actions over words. Let us not forget that others will respect and follow us more for the courage with which you follow and defend your convictions and beliefs, than for the content of those convictions and beliefs themselves.
All the positive words that others may bestow upon you will not come close to the wonderful experience of being honored by the Lord. Even as you serve Christ with gratitude, you will observe how those positive opinions will come in abundance as part of that great blessing of receiving God's honor in our lives.
“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” John 15:12-15
It is a lesson that we often forget, which at other times we must remember in order to feel close to the Holy Spirit. No matter how or what is happening, we must not forget the Glory of the Heavenly Father, how He guides us on His path and how we receive His blessings at every step.
Many times we believe we feel lonely, but in reality we will always count on Jesus as a friend, ally and tireless defender of our heart.
The friends around us must accept us as we are, with our strengths and weaknesses. They must also understand that we are destined to follow in the Savior's footsteps.