1 Peter 2:13-17 Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men— as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bond servants of God. Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.
Opinions flow freely these days. Politics, religion, societal norms, fashion, and the list goes on. Ask almost anyone and you’ll receive an opinion. Sometimes you don’t even have to ask to receive an opinion. Chances are great that the opinion received won’t be identical to your own.
I’m seldom alarmed about the opinion I hear. I simply consider the words and the delivery. These are speaking to the level of spiritual and emotional maturity of the speaker. When I hear hate, rejection, judgement, narrow thought, and an overriding confidence that the opinion is completely correct, I recall the words of Proverbs 21:2 – Every way of a person seems right in his own eyes (her own eyes), but the Lord weighs the heart. I consider what weight God might find in the opinion and I make note of how I might now witness, love, and give to this person. Opportunity is revealed.
I’m more concerned with how I react to the opinion I hear. How do I respond to hateful words, prideful remarks, and narrow thought? This speaks directly to what God will find as He weighs my heart. It speaks directly to my spiritual and emotional maturity. Do I have the maturity to hear an opinion completely different than my own and still love the person, even when I disagree with their words? Do I possess a strength of conviction to embrace this persons humanity even as they may reject mine? God weighs all hearts… not just those I disagree with.
In the end, people’s opinions speak to their spiritual and emotional maturity. How we respond speaks to ours. What will God find today, as He places your heart in His scale?