It's not about me...

PSALM 69:6

Let not those who hope in you be put to shame through me,
    O Lord God of hosts;
let not those who seek you be brought to dishonor through me,
    O God of Israel.
7 For it is for your sake that I have borne reproach,
    that dishonor has covered my face.
8 I have become a stranger to my brothers,
    an alien to my mother's sons.

9 For zeal for your house has consumed me,
    and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.
10 When I wept and humbled[b] my soul with fasting,
    it became my reproach.
11 When I made sackcloth my clothing,
    I became a byword to them.
12 I am the talk of those who sit in the gate,
    and the drunkards make songs about me.

13 But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord.
    At an acceptable time, O God,    in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness.

David was going through a very rough time.  Saul was pursuing him; others were jumping on the bandwagon, seeking to prosper from his adversity; many were bad-mouthing him, judging him, his actions, and his intentions.  David continued to humbly worship God, which also became of topic of criticism.  What was he ultimately concerned about? "Let not those who hope in you be put to shame through me." He did not want his suffering to be a stumbling block to others. He did not want what he was going through to cause others to back off from their pursuing God and His will.  Often, when we suffer, are misjudged, treated with injustice and spoken evil of, our response is to complain how unfair it is - it's all about me and my suffering. David knew better: It's about God, His glory, and His people, and the picture our experiences paint about a relationship with Him and with them.  Let's avoid the me-centered life.