I am still in school...

In Greek this semester, we have been translating Plato's Crito, in which Socrates' friend, Crito, tries to convince Socrates that he needs to escape from prison. (Socrates of course has been tried and is only awaiting the arrival of the ship from Delos when he will be excuted.) Crito, in one argument, says that if Socrates does not come out with the help of his friends, everyone will think ill of his friends. Socrates then takes Crito through an argument that they have in the past agreed upon, which proceeds as follows:

Socrates: Does it not seem to be said fully to you that it is necessary not to honor all the opinions of men but some of them and not others, and that it is necessary not to honor the opinions of all men but the opinions of some men, and of others not? What do you say? Are these things not said well?
Crito: Yes, they are said well.
Socrates: So then, shouldn’t we honor the good ones and not the bad ones?
Crito: Yes.
Socrates: Are not excellent opinions from sensible men and evil opinions from the foolish?
Crito: And how not?
Socrates: Come now, how again did such things used to be said? Does a man practicing and doing gymnastics listen either to the recommendation and blame and opinion of every man, or of only that one who is his physician and physical trainer?
Crito: Of only one.
Socrates: Therefore, it is necessary to fear the blame and to esteem the recommendation of that one but not the blame and approval of many.
Crito: Surely, these things are clear.
Socrates: So then, in this way he should train and practice and eat and drink in the way it would seem best to his master who has understanding, rather than in the way it seems to all the others put together.
Crito: These things are true.
Socrates: Well, then. Will he disobey his trainer and not honor his opinions and approval, but will honor the ones of many who understand nothing, and will he suffer no evil on account of this?
Crito: For how not?
Socrates: But what is this bad thing, and what does it affect, and toward what of these things of the person who disobeys?
Crito: It is clear that it affects the body, for it ruins this.
Socrates: You speak well. *** Then is it livable to us to have a worthless and ruined body?
Crito: By no means.

When I read through this passage, I was struck with the application to the Christian life. When considering our choices and perspectives as Christians, we should not consider the opinons of other people no matter how right they may seem, but view the world as God views the world. In our race, Christ is our trainer and no matter what happens to us or what other people may say or do to us, we must look to him (Hebrews 12:1-2). I guess this may seem obvious, but I also think it is important.