Perhaps it may turn out a sang,
Perhaps turn out a sermon.

-- R. Burns Epistle to a Young Friend

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Fool's Gold and Chains


 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. -- 1 Peter 2:16


How high would be the wall to imprison an eagle?

We should live as people who are free because, as we are in Christ, we are free.  The only bondage in life is sin along with its adherents and consequences, and by His Cross, Jesus set us free from both the penalty and power of sin.  

 If I had to boil down my definition of evil to its essence it would be taking the freedom of another – through intimidation, manipulation, oppression, theft, mayhem or murder.  The means, legal or otherwise, are unimportant.  Hemming someone in and denying them their rightful choices as a fellow human being is evil.  Taking what belongs to someone else by force, stealth or subterfuge is taking a part of that person’s life, robbing them of the time they invested in serving, cultivating, or creating. 

I tend to think Peter would agree with me.  He told Cornelius about Jesus by saying:  He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.  That is our mission as well:  to set people free.  We are liberators in a world of slavery.  Our weapon is truth.  Faith is our shield, and prayer is our line of communication. 

What we fight mostly, in ourselves and in those around us, is deception.  We lie to one another and very often to ourselves.  We deceive ourselves as to our true condition and attempt to convince both the world and our own hearts that we are happy in the shackles we wear.  It is why some of the saddest, most miserable people on the planet call themselves “gay”, for example. 

There is no question in my mind that people who were yet in their chains to one degree or another helped to liberate me.  Christians are usually not chained down so much as chained to -- like Jake and Elwood -- a briefcase full of blues.  I am guilty.  We can still be on a mission from God while dragging that around, but there’s really no need for it.  Jesus wasn’t shackled to a trunk, a suitcase, a briefcase, a knapsack, or a fanny-pack.  His liberty still liberates us today.


Think (Freedom).

4 comments:

John Lien said...

If I had to boil down my definition of evil to its essence it would be taking the freedom of another.

I like that.

What we fight mostly, in ourselves and in those around us, is deception. We lie to one another and very often to ourselves.

Yes, lying, in everything. It's a big F'n deal to quote our VP. One of those obvious things that is so pervasive that you almost don't notice it or you repress it.

I am not well constituted to point out the truth to others because I do not like having it done to me. I prefer introspection and example following.

mushroom said...

Yes, log out of my own eye and all that. Deception is insidious.

The strange thing is that the more deceptive I am, the more susceptible I am to being deceived. You really can't cheat an honest person.

John Lien said...

Lots of truth to that. Many of those who fall for con schemes fall because they think they are getting something for nothing.

I get a thrill when I think I'm getting away with something. I've learned, the hard way, that that is supposed to be a warning, not a good thing.

Rick said...

True. His burden is light.