On Your Own Terms

One thing I’m enjoying most about my studies right now, is how with each subject I treat, I’m encouraged to have my own say. With my degree, it was all about studying the given subject as others have defined it. All I had to do was express my understanding of what others had said. But now, after thoroughly going through all there is on the market, I have to introduce my own product to the market. Of course I have to take into consideration what others have come forth with through years of study, but at the end, I’m given room to come to my own conclusions, to agree or disagree, to add or to take away. I love the freedom.

This got me thinking that this is exactly how life works. Life should be lived on your own terms. But that shouldn’t mean you don’t consider existing terms, and it doesn’t mean you know it all, but it means you have the freedom to choose your own terms because you know what will work for you, well at least you think you do.

Allow me to pick on a Scripture. Matthew 16:13-15
“When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
I’m pursuing the principle here and not necessarily the context. Jesus first asks the disciples what word is out about him. What has research produced, what have the wise scholars deduced, what do the old and experienced have to say? In fact it’s interesting how Jesus doesn’t say ‘who do people say I am’ but he uses the title ‘Son of Man’. This is who He is, He is interested in how people define this title, how they understand it. In their response, we see that people had different definitions of who Jesus was. And that’s life, and that’s okay. But trick is, you have to deduce truth from all these facts. As much as everyone is entitled to their own opinion, it doesn’t make everyone’s opinion right.

Jesus then wanted to know who they understood him to be. This was their chance to either join existing schools of definitions or to break the ranks and find their own. And through God’s help, that’s exactly what Peter did. The significance of arriving at your own definition is that you will experience life in line with your definition. If He’s just a prophet to you, that’s all of Him you’ll ever experience.

What I’m trying to get to is that life is open-ended, and you decide how it ends. You might be right or wrong in the decision that you make, but it’s important to make the decision. It’s important to have your own opinion, your own terms. Otherwise your life will be mediocre. You’ll experience life the way everyone else around you experiences it, you’ll live your life the same way your forefathers did. You’ll live your life to fit the mould that others have put in place. In fact, others will live their lives through you because you haven’t taken ownership of your own life.

So broaden your mind and consider things, don’t just take them the way they’re handed to you. Live life on your own terms, built on the foundation of those that have gone before you, but unique to your views and personality.

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