Kids with autism can do some things that are both funny and sad at the same time.  They tend to lack the inhibitions that help monitor behavior of other kids.  My daughter, Cadence, has some peculiar habits that most typical 12-year-old girl would find embarrassing.  But Cadence just doesn’t care.  The other day, my 10-year-old daughter asked why Cadence did some of the things she does.

I explained the whole inhibition thing and how Cadence just doesn’t care about what anyone things.  It causes for some humorous things to happen at our house sometimes.  And sometimes some awkward things.  If you don’t believe me, then ask the guests who Cadence has pulled off of the sofa because they were sitting in her spot.

As I was saying to my daughter that it could be funny and sad at the same time to not have inhibitions, I was surprised to hear her respond “…..and kinda cool….to never be embarrassed or worry about what others think of you.”  Oh yeah, I remember being 10 and how what others thought really mattered to me.  Oh wait, I remember being 40 and how what others thought really mattered to me.

I think Jayden is right, it would be kinda cool to not have that weighing on me.  What if we lived like Cadence………unworried or uninhibited by what others think.  Granted, there are times that other’s expectations keep us from doing some really crazy stuff.  And maybe that’s a good thing.  But sometimes it just holds us back from doing more, being more, reaching out, reaching our potential, being free.

You know, Cadence doesn’t get all the actions “right” on the outside, but I bet when God looks into her heart He sees something beautiful.  I wonder how our lives would be if we worried less about what people thought and we focused on the heart issue of pleasing God?  I think it would be freeing.  I think it would be empowering.  I think it would be like breathing fresh air.  I think it would be kinda cool.

Galatians 1:10 – “Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant“. – The Apostle Paul