Not Everyone Likes Me!

August 27, 2020

Not Everyone Likes Me! 

Some people don’t connect with my personality, some don’t appreciate my leadership style, and some don’t care for my humor.  Others don’t like the way I comb my hair, the way I interpret the Bible, or the way I envision the future.  Some people don’t like what I do, what I stand for, or who I am.

It’s OK that not everyone likes me.

It took me awhile to get to that point.  For too long, I wanted everyone to like me and like the decisions I made.  My strategy was to give a lot of energy and time to pleasing people.  I would try to please my staff team, my friends, my family, my small group, my Superintendent, my Bishop, and even Jesus.

It took me awhile, but I learned that most of my effort towards that goal was a waste of time, energy, and prayer. 

It’s OK that not everyone likes me. 

Come to think about it, not everyone liked the Son of God, either.  When the Son of God walked the roads around the Galilee Lake, the valley of the Jordan River, or the hills around Jerusalem not everyone liked Him.  When Jesus visited in a home, stopped by a small town, or walked the streets of a large city not everyone liked Him. 

In Isaiah 53:3 we hear about the Savior; “He was hated and rejected; his life was filled with sorrow and terrible suffering.  No one wanted to look at him.  We despised him and said, ‘He is a nobody!’”  If not everyone liked the Son of God who is perfect and sinless and filled with love, why would we expect everyone to like us.

And yet, we do!  Some of the most difficult moments for students is when someone they like chooses to not like them.  It is devastating!  I have had those conversations with our daughters as well as with many other students.  Students want to be liked and loved by everyone!  And, so do most of the rest of us. 

It takes a while to learn an important spiritual truth; not everyone is going to like you…and that is OK!  However, this truth does not give you permission to be a jerk or to be rude or to do harm. 

Jesus made it very clear that I am to love every person whether they like me or not.  When asked what was the greatest commandment of all the hundreds of commandments, Jesus does not hesitate to give a clear and concise answer. 

In Matthew 22:37-39 Jesus says; “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.  This is the greatest and first commandment.  And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Jesus calls us to love our family, our friends, and our neighbors.  Jesus calls us to love our co-workers, our class-mates, and the person working at Wendy’s.  Jesus calls us to love the checker at Wal-Mart, the person changing the oil in our car, and the teacher of our children. 

We are called to show people love and respect even when they do not like us.  As Jesus takes his last breath before He dies on a cross, He looks over the crowd and sees a lot of people who do not like Him.  Just before He dies Jesus addresses the crowd.  In Luke 23:34 we hear; “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”

Believe it or not, not everyone likes me…or you!  It’s OK as long as we have done our part in loving them and forgiving them.

However, it’s easy to get stuck in the thought that not everyone likes us.  I imagine you have a friend who is stuck in a downward spiraling thought pattern that not everyone likes them.  I invite you to call them or visit them this week.  Remind them that the goal in life is not for everyone to like us; the goal is for us to love and honor each person. 

When we love our neighbor, we focus less on whether or not they like us and more on how much Jesus loves them.  As our mind is changed and our heart is transformed by Jesus we are set free from the unhealthy and unholy need to be liked by everyone.  Our heart will respond by taking delight in the Lord God.

Take Delight In The Lord!

Doug