Runnymede Christian Fellowship, a church in Egham

Week 23 (04/06/2007)       What do people see?

We’ve all had the experience, probably more often than we like to admit. We’ve sensed that someone was angry or hurt, then worried ourselves sick about what they were thinking. We assumed they were angry at us, intent on confronting or hurting us. In time, we found that we hadn’t a clue about what they were really thinking. Their anguish wasn’t directed at us at all, but toward their own pressing problems. They may even have welcomed our encouragement and listening ear.

When it comes to imagining what others think of us, it’s easy to fall into a pattern of expecting the worst. Paranoia is what we often call it lightheartedly today. This is our popular adaptation of the psychiatric term, of course. Clinical paranoia is a serious psychological problem. True paranoids are pathologically suspicious of others’ motives. Many suffer psychotic delusions about being watched or persecuted.

Most of us are not about to join a local militia to defend ourselves against “encroaching evil forces of government.” Nor do we imagine that aliens have implanted listening devices in our ears. Yet we do spend considerable energy worrying about what others think of us. We may instinctively assume that others don’t like us, even when no evidence suggests that this is true. Harbouring such suspicions is a serious enough problem for many of us, that it helps us to have a word for it--even if we use it somewhat tongue-in-cheek.

The tragedy is that even this “normal” paranoia can hinder us from realizing our potential for Christ and experiencing his abundant life. Our negative assumptions about what others think can cause us to expect failure at points where God intends us to succeed. We may fail to recognize golden opportunities he’s presenting to us, in relationships, career and other areas. We need to recognize this mentality for what it is. And we need to take steps to ensure that it doesn’t become a controlling factor in our life.

Lets lay hold afresh of who we are in Christ, his purpose for us.