How To Manage People's Perception Of YouSýnishorn

In addition to the first, or inner self, we all have outer selves, which we’ve built with some creative license. We design this version of ourselves to receive approval from the world. 

This “second self” is the public persona we project. It’s the person we think other people think we are. 

If you carefully tend to your public personage on Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat or Instagram, you know exactly what I’m talking about. The social-media you is who you want the world to see. Sometimes you might let a frustration or complaint out, but even those are orchestrated to contribute to this respectable version of yourself. 

You’ll notice there’s a bit of overlap between the circles in the diagram. So, if you consider circle #1 as more of the real you, there’s at least part of the real you in “you #2.”

But there is a tension between these two yous. They are often in conflict.

For example, you may have lustful thoughts in your first person, yet you take great care to avert your eyes, because you know other people may see where you’re looking. Or, you might criticize people when you recap your workday with your spouse, yet that whole day you were the sweetest little gumdrop to your coworkers.

The Bible says evil thoughts fester in our hearts. Sometimes these thoughts turn into words and actions others notice, but sometimes they hide. 

We may think we’re able to hide the evil in our hearts, but over time it’s nearly impossible to live a lie, when we profess to know the Lord. The Holy Spirit drives us to repentance. Sometimes this process is painful. But it is necessary, purifying and freeing.

So, because of sin, a great conflict wages between our first and second persons. This is true for everyone.

Tomorrow, we’ll see that while our third self may seem like a stranger, he or she lives in plain view for everyone to see.