Ever find yourself worrying what others think?

The other night I was the carpool driver for our women’s group. As I pulled in to the parking lot, the sun graced my dashboard at just the right angle for me to see the layer of dust resting on it. The dust had been hidden from my eyes until that very moment. Wiping off my dashboard could be a weekly activity as we live on a gravel road. However, I hadn’t dusted it for a number of weeks. Now, in a matter of minutes, women would be climbing in my car and would see my dust in all its glory. They’ll see my dust. They’ll think I can’t keep things clean. What else will they think of me?

What will they think?

Am I the only one who ever thinks such a thought? And, who gets concerned with what others might think of me?

Before anyone else climbed in the car, I had to stop this nonsense. I quickly reminded myself to be real. Sure, I could have grabbed a tissue quick and wiped off my dash, but I stopped short of doing that. I allowed myself to be real enough to have others see my dust. I talk all the time about being real. Goodness, I’m even writing about it this month. What does it say about me if I don’t practice what I preach?

Nothing was said about the dust on our drive, and I certainly didn’t mention it. No matter if my carpool guests saw the dust or not, I was real in those moments, by golly.

[Tweet “We can stop worrying what others think.”]

We can be real instead of worrying.

For as long as I can recall, I’ve done my fair share of worrying what others think. I can remember picture day in 2nd Grade, and I worried about what others were going to think of what I was wearing. In high school I recall worrying what others thought of me being involved in so many activities. In college I worried what others would think if I didn’t continue in my original plan. When Bill and I got engaged just three months after meeting each other I worried about what others thought about us.

I still have days were I struggle with this worry. But, living a real and authentic life has helped stop the madness. Hallelujah!

When we’re focused on living real lives, it doesn’t matter what others think. What matters is living real with God and living real with ourselves. Either others will respect our realness, or they won’t… dusty dashboards and all.

[Tweet “When we’re focused on living real lives, it doesn’t matter what others think.”]

As we live real lives worrying what others think is counter-productive.

It steals our joy and it robs us of all God has for us. It stops us from living real. Here’s a powerful truth from Proverbs:

It is dangerous to be concerned with what others think of you, but if you trust the Lord, you are safe. Proverbs 29:25 GNT

Continue pressing on, living real. I’ll be over here focusing on doing the same… and if you see any of my dust, rejoice with me, won’t you??

Blessings,

Julie

It’s Day 18 of 31 Days of Living a Real Life. If you’d like to catch up on previous posts in this series, you can click here.