Weary of hearing "I don't care what people think". That's the flesh, that's the world. Not Jesus. The Bible says we are supposed to be looking for favor with people, and a good reputation. Prov 3:3 Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 So you will find favor and good repute In the sight of God and man.
That means your goal is to be a good person, not some rude jerk who doesn't care. Kindness AND truth. Truth isn't accepted by others if it's spoken with out kindness. Kindness is useless if its flattery and lies. You can't separate them. You have to learn how to be kind to people.
If you're going to be a Christian, stop thinking you can run around and be harsh to people and argue with everybody. Start thinking that you need to treat people the way you would treat Jesus if he was standing in front of you. Respect man, respect. Show people respect!
And it doesn't change if you're put in a position of authority. Just because you're the boss doesn't mean you get to be disrespectful to people. I'm the national president of a motorcycle club, but I don't treat prospects any different and I treat my brothers. Unless they step out of line. And I don't treat my brothers any different than I treat prospects, when they step out of line. The catch doesn't make the man, we don't lose our obligation to respect somebody because of a patch.
When you read the Bible, you find a far different philosophy in the world has about how to treat people, we have an obligation to please our neighbor, be tender, humble.
Romans 15:1-2 We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.
Ephesians 4:32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you
1 Peter 3:8-12 Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. For “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
None of this is to say that are supposed to live our lives according to to how other people think and compromise our values. But we are supposed to be considerate and compassionate.
James Disciple Johnson
National President and Founder
Disciple Christian Motorcycle Club
