It is none of my business

I have a thought that I like to keep in my head when I want to worry what others may be thinking about me and it goes like this - "It is none of my business what you think about me." Truly it is not our business or concern what others think about us. If there was one thing I wish I could communicate to people that would improve their lives immediately it would be this idea. We get so concerned about what others are thinking. We let it define our inner self, how we make decisions, and what actions we will or will not take. It is so hard for us to remember that this is not what makes us who we are. We do it with God also. We tell ourselves that we must follow some rules to earn God's love and affection. We let these things define us as "good" or "bad," as "lovable" or "unlovable." We forget that we are made whole in Christ. We are completely identified as God's child. Our life is to be hidden with Christ and our ego is dead.

What actually took place is this: I tried keeping rules and working my head off to please God, and it didn't work. So I quit being a "law man" so that I could be God's man. Christ's life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not "mine," but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I am not going to go back on that. Is it not clear to you that to go back to that old rule-keeping, peer-pleasing religion would be an abandonment of everything personal and free in my relationship with God? I refuse to do that, to repudiate God's grace. If a living relationship with God could come by rule-keeping, then Christ died unnecessarily. Galatians 2:19

We no longer need to be worried about what others think about us and when we begin to we need to tell ourselves it is none of my business what they think about me. We are not in this life to impress others or to impress God. We are here to live a free, joyful, spiritual life. We are not to be worried about what rules to keep, or who is happy with us and who is not and make sure that we do whatever we need to just to please them because we are so worried about what they think about us. We are here to live a life that brings light and life. We are here to live a life that brings love and peace. If we do that all the "rules" take care of themselves. If I understand that I need to bring love and peace I can easily decide not to be angry with someone. My ego is no longer central, Christ is.

So today do not worry what others are thinking, do not let your ego become the central figure. Let Christ rule and love, peace, joy, and kindness shine through the darkness.

Namaste'