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A New Freedom |
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Article by Tom Gilbert
— © June, 2005
Freedom is something we all believe
is important. The freedom to pursue our lives with liberty
and a pursuit of happiness is something the founding fathers
of the United States deemed important.
On July 4th of each year the citizens of the U.S. (we
the people) commemorate our nation’s birth with
a holiday. We call it Independence Day. We celebrate that
our country chose to shake off the shackles of oppression
and to establish a government that believed in the importance
of liberty.
Like many summer holidays, the true meaning and importance
of this holiday gets overshadowed by things like parties,
family gatherings and day off from work. Yet, at the heart
of these pursuits is the desire to freely enjoy our lives.
Over the years millions have flocked to our shores seeking
out a life with this promise – the American Dream.
And our country has grown in wealth and influence precisely
because we accepted these people. They were not always
welcomed with open arms as racism and bigotry have always
been around. But the diversity of our population is an
asset. Too often we think it is the source of our problems.
We think it was alright for our ancestors to find America’s
shores but we’re not so certain about new arrivals
that we fear will take our piece of American pie.
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Easy to Criticize
Today it is easy to criticize what
we find wrong with our country, our political and legal
system and the lack of equality when it comes to the freedom
to pursue “life, liberty and happiness”. Of
course, it is right and a duty of each citizen to protest
injustice. That was exactly what was happening back in
1776 when the colonists were fed up with the imposition
of unfair taxation and the repression they felt from Mother
England.
Before we can prophetically speak to the issues of societal
freedom I think we must first look at our individual freedom.
We cannot separate the two and be fair, but we can’t
demand changes in the system unless we first look closely
at our own situations and face up to the freedoms we have
that come with a certain responsibility.
If you are currently living with a certain income that
meets your basic needs of food and shelter, if you have
the freedom to worship as you please, and if you have
done some “inside work” to discover how much
you live from your false self (the one that wants to get
your own way – even with good motives) and the opportunity
to live from your true self (the one that is in union
with God and others), then you must face up to the responsibility
of being a freedom fighter for God’s kingdom.
Now before you pick up your picket sign and go marching
off to war for social justice, take a moment to look at
what Jesus did in his situation in Palestine. He didn’t
go around demanding that Rome leave the occupied Holy
Land. He didn’t tell his disciples and the Jewish
people that they are the only ones who get God’s
grace. But he did make a point about the many that were
persecuted, downtrodden and on the outskirts. I’m
not going to toss out a bunch of scripture verses. Go
look it up – the message is there in the four Gospels.
An Invitation
Jesus gave an invitation to follow
Him in the way of truth, justice and real freedom. He
told us that when we receive others we are receiving Him.
He gathered small children in His arms and instructed
grownups to be innocent and trusting like them. He told
us the world would not understand and we would face persecution
when we choose this path.
The struggle each of us face is to be honest with where
we are with this teaching. This is a daily reckoning and
we can’t be completely faithful unless we are spending
more time looking at ourselves, our faults and our blessings,
than we are at pointing out the faults in others or envying
the blessings of others.
Fortunately the teachings of Christ and the free gift
of God as Helper (the Holy Spirit and Advocate) give us
clear cut directions and the grace to do this. I know
I can’t begin to honestly assess my faults and blessings
without this help.
It Starts With You
It does start with each of us –
the freedom to choose the way of love, or not. The individual
freedoms we have cannot be separated from the societal
freedom we should all share. Here is why community is
necessary. And community must include everybody! If it
only includes those we like or want to be with then we
just create little cliques and gather power and all of
a sudden we are in the role of oppressor (even when we
don’t think so).
Today followers of Christ who are true believers in the
equal spreading of God’s grace can be the real “Freedom
Fighters” in the world. We can do it from a position
of humility and service. We can be passionate and compassionate.
We can see Jesus in others and ourselves; we can rejoice
that God hasn’t reserved His grace only for the
righteous, but also for the sinner. Doesn’t that
about cover everyone?
This is a new freedom. It is the freedom to let go of
past hurts and resentments. It is freedom to be a giver
and not just a taker. It is a powerful freedom that oddly
springs from our acceptance that we are powerless as individuals
to change the world, but able to tap into the power of
a profoundly loving, merciful and just God that only asks
that we accept our unity with Him. God is the source of
love and that is a very freeing thing.
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Scripture
taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.Copyright
© 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All
rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission
of International Bible Society.
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® and NIV® are registered
trademarks of International Bible Society. Use of either
trademark for the offering of goods or services requires
the prior written consent of International Bible Society.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy
Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996. Used
by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton,
IL 60189, USA. All rights reserved.
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PSALM
16:7-9
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"I will praise the
LORD , who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs
me. I have set the LORD always before me. Because he
is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore
my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also
will rest secure."
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(NIV)
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