An Opinion or Truth

     My given birth name was Suzanne. When we first migrated to the United States, my father took me; a child then; on an errand. During the elevator ride, an older gentleman took an interest in us. He asked my name. I proudly stated, “Suzanne.” He replied, “Oh no, Suzanne isn’t an American name. Susan is.” My father took the cue and proceeded to change my name. There was confusion in the beginning for we did not know if it was spelled with a z or s as in Suzan or Susan. Everyone decided on Susan.  There are some who still insist on calling me Suzanne. They usually do not illicit a response since this name is foreign to me. 

     It starts with a thought. Someone would express his thought of you. You listen to it, think about it, and believe it. Then it manifests in your life. Pam told Sam that he was a failure and would not succeed at anything. Sam recalls all of the times he actually failed and agrees with Pam. He, then, seals his fate. Failure has become the pattern of his life. And the opposite is true. Let’s say that Pam tells Sam that he has creative energy and he can create anything. If he accepts that word, it seals his fate. Becoming a creative person becomes the pattern of his life. 

     We see it all the time with children and adolescents. They are susceptible to others’ opinions especially their peers. They are in the process of exploring and knowing their identity. If they do not have enough positive feedback from the ones who matter the most, family, then they may be inclined to believe everything they hear. 

     Has this ever happened to you? Someone would state an opinion of you and you’d subconsciously apply it to your life? It does not matter if the opinion expressed is truth or not. If we believe it, it becomes truth for us. If you received positive feedback, kudos! What if it was negative feedback? Do not fret, my friend. It is not the end of the world. It really does not matter what others think of you. It matters what God thinks of you. He loves you very much that He sent His Son to die in your place. When He rose again, He gave you life everlasting which starts here on earth. Does that relieve you of any responsibilities? Of course not. We are still responsible for our thoughts. “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ,” 2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV. What if you get the thought that you are a failure? Just speak words of blessings over yourself such as you were made in the image of God. He instilled in you everything you need to be successful. You just need to discover the depth God created in you by spending time with your Savior in prayer and studying the Bible. Then you will see that He blessed you so you can be a blessing. Have you blessed someone today?