When You Want To Be Liked…

This post is written to link with Five Minute Friday: write for five minutes on a one-word prompt. The prompt today is “like”.

We all want to be liked.

I think it’s a natural part of being human. We feel encouraged when others notice us, compliment us, choose to spend time with us, or click “like” on our social media posts.

But I think, deep down, most of us have a fear of not being liked. We can wonder if people (especially Christians) are just being “nice”.

We ask, “What do they really think of me?” or, “What would they think if they really knew me?”

Often (especially on social media) we present the parts we think people will like. We share our achievements and our joyful times. We let people see the best of us, but we often wonder what they would think if they really saw it all.

Sometimes we can wonder the same about God, but the reassuring truth is that God does see what we’re really like and he still loves us.

He doesn’t berate us for our sin, but he provided a solution. He sent Jesus, not to condemn, but to save.

“Jesus said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor – sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”” (Mark 2:17 NLT)

And we have the assurance that nothing can separate us from his love.

“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39 NLT)

The reality is that people won’t always like what we do, but maybe that doesn’t matter quite so much if we are secure in God’s unfailing love and understand how he sees us.