We only live twice: one temporary life now, and one immortal life in the resurrection. This truth makes all of life valuable; especially this first one – since it is a quickly vanishing vapor-life (James 4:14). Everyone gets one of these temporal lives. No one has the right to live your life for you, thus having more than one life for themselves. Refuse to allow anyone to live your life for you; to pressure, to domineer, to bully, to lord over you. Father has given you the gift of His life in you. Value it, honor it, and redeem it from the hands of those who would embezzle it from you. Not even Paul the Apostle would assume such a place over the lives of believers (II Corinthians 1:24); nor would Paul allow anyone to have such ascendancy in his own life (I Corinthians 4:3). This is why his great appeals are for us to be free from such power and control (Colossians 2:20-22). Others may choose to judge us. However sincere their actions may be, or appear to be, we are not to be affected by this. When we, like Paul, walk before the Lord, their verdicts are to be a “very small thing” in our sight. In fact, if we are concerned about their opinions, it will have a hindering and hampering effect. Stop worrying about others’ opinions and go on living the precious life that God has given to you. Don’t worry about the expectations of others. God’s calling in your life is to be His unique prototype, not a stereotype; you are to be His original, not a forged copy. Abandon mere mortal expectations, real or imagined.
Posted on: Sun, 01 Dec 2013 12:47:07 +0000