Prison Break

My friend was in prison. She could not enjoy the freshness of the outdoor air or run to the store for something she needed. She could not go on outings with friends or play with her grandchildren.

What’s sad is that she wasn’t forced into that prison. She created it herself. The prison bars were built from an element called “What will people think?” She was so worried about what people would think of her that she couldn’t go out into her yard, enter a store, or relax with people she loved. The fear of what others would think of her consumed all her thoughts.

I have to admit I have spent time in that prison, too. It certainly isn’t how God intended us to live. Our desire to please others, to win glory from them, is actually a stumbling block to our ability to trust God. Jesus told the people in John 5:44, “How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?” What others think of us means nothing compared to what God thinks. He will have the last word on our worth.

Paul understood this concept well. He points out, “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ” (Gal. 1:10)

The only way to escape the prison of what others think is to be more concerned about what God thinks. Making his approval our priority releases us to live life to the full.