Imagine, for a moment, that you're with Paul and Barnabas in Lystra. (Acts 14) One moment, you're letting the power of God course through you and healing the feet of a man who has never walked. The crowd is so amazed that they think you're a god, and pretty soon the head priest of Zeus is ready to slaughter a bull as worship to you. There has been a pretty big misunderstanding, but either way, the city is amazed at you.
Then, just a few moments later, the Jews show up and somehow convince the people that you're not good, but evil, and the same people who were ready to bow down and worship you are now throwing stones at you, and then, once they think you're dead, they drag you out of the city. They don't even want your dead corpse to stay within the city.
That's a bit of a rocky transition, right?
There's a lesson in here--the world is a fickle place. People can change in a moment. Don't base your sense of self-worth on the feedback the world is giving you. Don't depend solely on others for affirmation. Don't believe, for a moment, that the reaction of others toward you is indicative of how God feels about you. If you base your identity in the adoration of others, there will be a rough patch. I promise.
Instead, root yourself in the eternal and gracious love of God. He loves you and will always love you. His grace is sufficient, and he is ready to forgive. The Bible is littered with stories of people who turned from God and yet were welcomed back when they repented. God loves you, and that will never change. Let that reality shape you, today and always.
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