Mud or Stars?

"Two men look out through the same prison bars;
One sees the mud, the other sees the stars."
--Frederick Langbridge

As strangers and pilgrims on this earth, we are essentially imprisoned by flesh and blood. Romans 8 tells us the whole creation is imprisoned in the "bondage of corruption" and that the whole creation "groaneth and travaileth" as we do, waiting for the redemption of our body.

Some have also suffered behind earthly prison bars for their faith. Some suffer in prison bars of affliction, either of body, mind or spirit.

What do we see when we look through our prison bars?

Do we see mud (the world, earthly cares or desires, darkness, discouragement)?

Or can we look beyond -- far beyond -- to the stars and the realm of light where our Father dwells? Is our vision fixed far above the mud and mire of this earth so that we can have hope, joy, peace and contentment in whatever our circumstances?

Are we truly strangers and pilgrims? Or are we merely earthly dwellers?

Do our lives, our hearts, our conversations give evidence that we are not citizens of this world? That we are hardly aware of the prison bars because we are focused beyond the stars to Heaven?

Paul and Silas were in the "inner prison" and "...at midnight, Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them." -Acts 16:25

Who might we be able to inspire by our consistent "looking to the stars"; by our desire to sing and praise God in the worst of prisons?