No one likes being misunderstood and their heart misrepresented. And naturally we will seek to correct the record on our character whenever possible. But, despite our best efforts, we still cannot control the opinions others hold. And so we must learn how to handle their false narratives of us.
To be fair, our first step is humbly considering if there’s truth in what’s being said. While we might not like how it is being said, we must be willing to own our part and adjust accordingly when the accusations are true.
When they’re not true, we can certainly invite the other to see things from our point of view. Many times the misunderstanding is unintentional and sharing our hearts with each other allows the issue to be resolved.
But others also have their own story, and it’s possible their false narrative is more about issues in their own story than about us personally. Of course, it still hurts when someone holds a negative view of us, but there’s freedom in realizing it’s not personal.
And this freedom allows us to reject their faulty perceptions while also not wasting our energy trying to get them to change their minds. Our integrity demands we filter our understanding ultimately through God’s reality – refusing to accept any and all lies from anyone else. But this resistance is to guard our heart and keep it grounded in the truth; we don’t have to try to force others to believe it as well.
And the beauty of truth is that it’s not dependent on our ability to convince others of it. It remains true even when others’ opinions remain unchanged. And simply living in what’s true is often the best way for others to eventually see and accept this reality for themselves.
To be sure, reason with others as best as you can to correct false narratives. But, in the end, refuse to accept lies and live in the freedom of what’s true. You don’t have to accept the opinions of others as true, nor try to convince them otherwise.
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