Episode 132: The Lie: Everyone Has to Like Me

Hey, Friend! Have you ever walked away from a conversation and replayed it in your head? Did I say the wrong thing? Is she upset with me? What does he think of me now? Maybe you find yourself apologizing when you haven't actually done anything wrong. Maybe you avoid difficult conversations because you don't want anyone to be disappointed in you. Or maybe criticism hits you harder than it should because, somewhere underneath it all, you believe that if someone doesn't like you, something must be wrong with you. Welcome to one of the most subtle lies Christian leaders can believe: Everyone has to like me. The problem isn't that we care about people. We should. Jesus calls us to love people, listen well, speak truth in love, and pursue healthy relationships. The problem comes when someone else's approval becomes necessary for our sense of security. In this episode, we'll look at what happens when Christian leaders confuse being Christlike with being universally liked—and what freedom looks like when we no longer need everyone's approval. I pray this blesses you! Becky