In a few months I will be turning a milestone age, well at least to me it’s a milestone, and I can already feel the transition. I used to spend a lot of time concerning myself with what other people think. People talk all the time, but when it’s all said and done, I’m going to do what I’m going to do. Because of this, I had been convinced that what they say doesn’t impact my decision-making or me. However, while chatting with a friend I uttered these words, “What people say doesn’t affect what I do. (In the end I’m going to do whatever I set out to do). But, what they say does affect me personally.” Even if the words, opinions and thoughts of others don’t stop me from producing, they do hinder me from producing with a freed up conscience.
Ultimately it doesn’t matter what people think, especially when we know we’ve been called or assigned by God to do something, but almost everyone can say that at one time or another the perceptions of others kept us from doing something. I don’t know if it’s age, experience, or both, but I’ve decided that it’s a wrap for that. A wise philosopher once said, “Care what other people think and you will always be their prisoner.” Whoa! I don’t want to be anyone’s prisoner literally or figuratively. But such truth can be found in that statement. For instance, I do contract work, which affords me the opportunity to work in several different fields. For this reason, I often get asked, “What is it that you do again?” Some people ask out of pure interest and curiosity, others ask in what may appear to be a demeaning way, almost like, “What are you up to now?” I jokingly said one time, “Until I ask someone for a loan to pay my bills, it’s really none of their business what I do.” Now, now, I know this isn’t the most Godly or positive response, but in essence, what I was trying to convey is that what I do is what I feel I am supposed to be doing. I am fine with it, and so are the people that are close to me, counsel me, and love me most. If we’re all good, then everyone else needs to be all good with it as well. But even if not, I refuse to be held prisoner to what someone else thinks any longer.
If we live our lives and make our decisions based on what other people think or say, not only will we be furthering ourselves from what God may have to say on the subject, but also we become captive to the person with whom the opinion originated. We become bogged down with questions like, will they be happy with me, will they approve, will they judge me or will they still like me? Let’s choose to forever free ourselves from the prison of other people’s thoughts and opinions and walk in true liberty.
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