Bouncing onto a different section of the reading, Newton asks Bates, “Do you guys have a boat?” (103). At first this throws me off but once you finish this chapter you realize “the boat” is something so much more. The boat Newton refers to is liberty, a second chance, fears people let hold them back. Bates addressed how fears can narrow your life and make your life a prison due to the fears you aren’t willing to face. We all have fears that hold us back but have you ever looked at them like this? Do your fears narrow your life and hold you back or are they a good thing?
Newton’s last comment on this at the end of the chapter, “People just put themselves into so many prisons”, reminds me of a verse from Hebrew 12:1, “Let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress” (104). In my opinion people shouldn’t let things hold them back or get in the way of getting where they want to be in life. Life is too short to not get out there and try the worst that could happen is that you fail, which in that case you can always choose to try again. Don’t let fears hold you back, overcome them and you will be set free.