I’ve allowed judgment from people who were never even part of my upbringing or my story. Somewhere along the way, I allowed people’s opinions to define me. I let their words settle in my spirit, and believed lies that had no foundation in truth.
The truth is, more often than not, people don’t see you. They see the version of you that they’ve created in their own minds—a version shaped by their limited perception, their personal experiences, their biases—but not the real you. And if we are not careful, we begin to wear those judgments as labels that were written into our DNA.
And sometimes, the hardest voices to face are the ones closest to home. Certain family members—though they may be blood—don’t always know the real you either. They may know who you were as a child, but not the person you’ve grown into. They may know fragments of your story, but not the full journey you’ve walked. They may speak over you through the lens of old wounds, generational patterns, or their own unhealed places, but that doesn’t mean what they say is true.
And here’s the good news: their perception is not your reality.
God’s Word reminds us of this over and over again. In John 8:32, Jesus says, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” The enemy loves to twist words, use false labels, and stir up lies about who we are. But only God gets the final say about our identity. He is the one who knit us together in our mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13–14). He calls us chosen, loved, redeemed, and set apart (1 Peter 2:9).
That means no opinion, no judgment, and no false perception from others—even from family—has the power to override the truth God has already spoken.
I’ve learned that before we go down the road of questioning ourselves—before we start believing there is something wrong with us—we need to stop, look at the bigger picture, and take inventory of who is in our circle. Are the people you surround yourself with speaking life, encouragement, and truth? Or are they projecting their own pain, limitations, and insecurities onto you?
Proverbs 13:20 puts it plainly: “Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.” Who you surround yourself with matters. If you consistently allow the wrong voices to have influence, you’ll begin to see yourself through their distorted lens instead of through God’s clear truth.
So here’s the challenge:
- Take back your identity from the hands of others.
- Stop living under labels that God never gave you.
- Measure everything you hear—even from family—against what God says about you in His Word.
What they believe about you doesn’t equal truth.
The truth is—you are fully known, deeply loved, and already approved by the One who matters most.
#IdentityInChrist #TruthOverLies #FaithJourney #healing #christianliving #spiritualgrowth