Those who know me well know that I was raised in terrible poverty. I mean, my family was considered poor by the poor people. I once asked my dad why we didn’t shop at the Salvation Army Thrift Store instead of at the mission. I will never forget his answer: “That’s where the rich poor people shop.” I realized then and there that my family was the low man on the token pole.
I was not only poor, I looked poor. I had broken teeth. I was skinny. My clothes were hand-me-downs that oft-times looked like hand-me-downs. My nickname was “Scarecrow.” (Not very flattering, is it?) It was against that backdrop of poverty that I read a book. I don’t remember the name of the book or the name of the person who wrote it. All I remember about the book is one simple line. That one simple line, though, changed my life. The author wrote: “You will worry a lot less about what people think of you when you realize how seldom they do!” Due to my complex complexes, I use to think that everybody was setting around looking at as well as thinking about me. My poverty. My physical appearance. My clothes. And yet, the truth is, they weren’t thinking about me at all. They were, like me, thinking of themselves!
Another wise person noted:
In short: look at others and be distressed;
look at self and be depressed;
look at Jesus and you will be blessed.
That is pretty good advice, if you want my two cents worth.
The Redeemed Team
I was not only poor, I looked poor. I had broken teeth. I was skinny. My clothes were hand-me-downs that oft-times looked like hand-me-downs. My nickname was “Scarecrow.” (Not very flattering, is it?) It was against that backdrop of poverty that I read a book. I don’t remember the name of the book or the name of the person who wrote it. All I remember about the book is one simple line. That one simple line, though, changed my life. The author wrote: “You will worry a lot less about what people think of you when you realize how seldom they do!” Due to my complex complexes, I use to think that everybody was setting around looking at as well as thinking about me. My poverty. My physical appearance. My clothes. And yet, the truth is, they weren’t thinking about me at all. They were, like me, thinking of themselves!
Another wise person noted:
- At age 20, we worry about what others think of us.
- At 40, we don't care what they think of us.
- At 60, we discover that they haven't been thinking about us at all.
In short: look at others and be distressed;
look at self and be depressed;
look at Jesus and you will be blessed.
That is pretty good advice, if you want my two cents worth.
The Redeemed Team
