People are not always going to see the real you because they may assume that you are something you are not by what they observe when they see you. They do this because they have chosen that they do not want to get to know you and instead decide to put a label onto you, defining who you are in their eyes. This is a good indication that you do not need those people in your life. What they think of you does not define you. What God knows and thinks of you defines you. That’s all that matters. And be grateful for the people in your life who have chosen to get to know you and love you for who you really are. Those are the people you want to keep close.
For instance, people who don’t know me very well say that I am quiet all the time. Okay, yes, I am quiet about half of the time, depending on the people which I am around. However, those who really know me probably wish I would shut up sometimes because when I get comfortable around people I like, I am my crazy, fun-loving self. And the people who don’t know me smack a label straight onto me that says “quiet,” as if I’m never going to be known for anything else but being quiet. I’m pretty sure that being called quiet all the time is the equivalent of someone being called loud all the time. (Which hardly happens, by the way.) Like, how would you like it if you talked a lot and I told you to your face, “You’re so loud!” Yeah, I’m pretty sure you would be hurt, too. And to be perfectly honest, it hurts when people call me quiet because it shows that they don’t really want to think that I’m more than quiet and they don’t want to know me for who I really am.
The truth is, I want to be known as more than quiet. I want to be known as someone who has a voice that can be heard, but not for myself. Granted, I am so selfish all the time and actually want people to hear me so the attention can be on me. But, I do not want to continue being this way. I want to be able to stand for my Savior who has so graciously saved me and called me to come out of myself and to be more than I have ever dreamed possible for His glory and not let what others depict me to be as my identity. Praise be to God, I have come out of myself more since I have come to college. I used to be a shy girl who didn’t think she could make a difference in the world because of what others thought of her as: quiet. But, I have come out of my shell, made friends and have become more confident in the past couple years, and the glory goes to God. Yes, I still struggle with being shy and quiet, lacking confidence, and just messing up at times. However, I have come far and, by God’s grace, will continue to seek Him to make a difference for His glory.
And for those of you reading this, you are not defined by labels that people put upon you. If you have trusted Christ as your Savior, then you are completely defined by Him. Don’t think that you can’t make a difference because of the opinions others have about you. God knows who you are, He loves you and wants you to make a difference by loving others and leading them to Him. That is what life is all about. (A cheesy statement, I know, but you get the point.) Even though this is a lesson I am still learning, it is true that our lives are to be solely lived for Christ because of what He has done for us.