Conclusion of An Inescapable Reality

How others evaluate you often depends on their perception of your intentions. So it is natural to feel bad when people interpret your motive incorrectly.  You might be indignant, feeling that there is no reason why anyone should misunderstand you. To you, such evaluations are biased, critical, or completely wrong, and they can hurt deeply-particularly if you value the opinion of those making the unjust assessments. 

Though you might be annoyed at the way people judge you, it is nonetheless appropriate to respect the opinion of others.  It is not Christian to disregard what others think, and never would we want our words  or actions to have a damaging effect on other people.  (Matthew 7:12; 1 Corinthians 8:12)  So on occasion you might need to make an effort to rectify some one's misguided opinion about you. Excessive concern for approval, however,  is counterproductive, leading to loss of self-respect or a feeling of rejection. After all, your true value does not depend on what others think. 

On the other hand, you may recognize that the criticism against you is well-founded. That, too, can hurt, but if you willingly and honestly acknowledge your own imperfections, such experiences can be positive, spurring you to make the needed changes. 

Next time: Negative Consequences

From the Watchtower magazine, 2001