"You're not the boss of me!" How many times have I heard my children say that to each other? How many more times have I said that in my own head when people try to tell me what to do in situations that do not merit speaking into my life in that manner? Lots. Anyone who knows me well, knows I do not like to be bossed around. My mom says I've always been quietly defiant, in fact my first grade teacher wrote it on a report card once. I wasn't the kid to throw a tantrum or argue to your face, I'm quite sweet afterall, but I was the kid who just wouldn't do something I didn't want to do. I wouldn't make a fuss about it, I just would quietly not do it. I'm still that way sometimes, just ask my husband. At times it's an area of sanctification to improve upon bridling my hard headedness to the Holy Spirit's leading, but other times it is a character strength. I'm not easily swayed by peer pressure. You're not the boss of me. Everyone's joining this, that and the other or doing it this way and you should too? You're not the boss of me. I'm not easily moved by emotional hype or manipulation. You're not the boss of me. My only boss is my Savior and His Word given through the pages of Scripture, and I'll follow His lead always.
In the last couple years, our culture has been obsessed with the concept of social influencers, brand ambassadors, and this remarkable yet incredibly toxic concept called social media that has revolutionized the way we relate with people, politics, lifestyle, and everything really. Your life, your home, your faith, your parenting style, your body, your marriage, your personality, your clothes, what you should buy, what you should purge, who you should listen to, who you should not listen to, who to vote for, what medicine to take, what to believe, who to like, what is truth, there is no truth, who to hate, what history says, what you should do next in these few easy steps, etc. We should all have the look and life they curate for us. It used to just be celebrities and we could tune them out easy enough, but now just about anyone can get their five minutes of significance if they get enough followers and likes and suddenly the videos, opinions and influence is on our screens speaking into our lives. It can be seductive.
The comparison trap. The feeling of never being as good as or never having enough. The virtue signaling. The cancel culture. The whole darn thing. If we want "them" to stop telling us what to think, and we really should, we have to stop listening. It's like that scene in Wall-E when the people finally take off their virtual reality goggles, look around and realize what has happened while they were not paying attention to the details but just listening to what the computer says.
It also, more importantly, reminds me of Peter stepping out of the boat and walking on the water towards Jesus. How's that? Well, when his eyes were fixed on Jesus, he walked securely but as soon as he lost sight of the Truth of His gaze by the waves clamoring to distract, he began to doubt and sunk(Matt. 14:22-33). It's hard for me to remember sometimes to lift my eyes from the clamor to the hills from which comes my help, the maker of Heaven and earth. (Ps. 121:1-2). I have to sometimes force myself intentionally to turn it off and re-tune my heart and re-set my gaze on Him who has never failed me and has all the answers and direction for all the things as there is nothing new under the sun(Ecc. 1:9). He says, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." -Hebrews 12:2-3. So, I will "fix these words of His on my heart and mind; tie them as symbols on my hands and bind them to my forehead."
-Deuteronomy 11:18
Something within me rebels against culture's noise, even more so lately as the volume of hopelessness, confusion and disorder has increased. It's probably that same part of me that rebels against being bossed. Believers, we are all just walking home, on top of the water, trying to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus so we don't get pulled beneath the entangling waves. Let's link arms for accountability, pray for each other in the trenches, be authentic and be intentional to keep our eyes focused on Jesus because this world is not the boss of us, He is.
Love,
Ali
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