Choose carefully who you allow to define you
Not every gaze has the same authority to tell you who you are.
You have heard opinions about yourself since childhood: some stem from affection and understanding; others, from a passing moment, prejudice, or another person's urge to label you. If you give them equal weight, your identity is left exposed to any voice.
Choosing whom to listen to does not mean surrounding yourself only with people who praise you. You need sincere perspectives, capable of recognizing the good and pointing out a fault without reducing you to it. You also need criteria in harmony with the dignity God has given you.
You can receive feedback from anyone without giving just anyone the final say. Other people's opinions deserve examination, not automatic obedience. Your identity is best known before God and beside those who truly love you.
Key idea
Identity needs to hear opinions, but must discern which perspectives know, love, and judge truthfully.
Your challenge for this idea
Make a list of three people whose corrections deserve special attention and explain what makes their view reliable.
BASED ON
Human Dignity →