Freedom
I heard a fabulous message at church the other week and it was on FREEDOM. It really got me thinking about what freedom truly is. And that maybe the freedom I've been searching for, holding out for isn't the freedom that Christ has for me.
Darlene went through all the ways our world views freedom..."freedom 55, economic freedom, political/social freedom-free to vote, freedom of speech, the sexual revolution to be free, psycological freedom in dealing with our "past", freedom of choice of a spouse/car/career... etc..
We're all about freedom in our society. Didn't you all just dream of what you would do when you moved out from your parents? Freedom is a goal our society values. I'm just not sure this is the freedom that christ died for, that cost him so much.
When I think of what true freedom means to me, it looks alot like perfection. To me to be free would be to have no more "issues" that tangle me up. I'd know how to handle every situation, i'd be free to speak my mind, i'd be free from the lies that keep me living in fear. I'd be able to give money away without it being an issue that our bills may not get paid. I wouldn't be needy any more and be able to do things on my own, figure things out without inconveniencing others with my troubles or messy little life. I want to be free from fear, free from pain, free from others, free from hiccups in the road. Free?
I couldn't help but think about God's funny ways of his upside down kingdom. Where he says to die to yourself is to really live. Where Christ's horrible Death on the cross = Life for us. Where to give is better to receive. Where the first shall be last and the last first. Where blessed are the poor. Where the rich young ruler is asked to give it all away.
And it dawned on me. I never think like God thinks. I much prefer to receive. I much prefer to be rich. I'd think the rich young ruler keeping it all and setting up some nice orphanages and counselling services would be a much better use of the money than just giving it away to people who may not spend it wisely. He's rich, he knows how to spend wisely doesnt' me? poor is bad. Poor means you haven't worked hard enough, your lazy, your unmotivated to make a better life for yourself, your stuck in your addictions. Are these the poor Jesus talks about or is he talking about the minority of poor who are immigrants, who just can't get a leg up, who try all they can and just can't get ahead. Well those poor in my head should be blessed, but ALL the poor? The squeegee guy who should just get a job? And really I think I can sometimes do it myself. That I don't need God's grace and salvation. I can work hard enough to earn it, or even to not need it. I can be kind, I can be generous, I can figure out what's wrong with me and read the right book to know how to fix it, fix me. I can live just fine without "dying to myself" - myself isn't really that bad is it now.
My ways when I get right down to it are not God's. My thoughts are not his. So then why do I think the way I see freedom and what it really could mean for me is what God sees or means? I haven't been right so far.
What if God's freedom looks like DEPENDENCE. What if God's freedom looks like NEEDING, like NOT HAVING IT ALL TOGETHER. Like having problems and road bumps all the time. What if freedom is having BOUNDARIES, having somethings that are NO's to us. Like health, like wealth, like un-handicapped kids, like problem free families. Maybe the things we fight against to be free from are really the things God had in mind to bring us freedom. True freedom. His freedom. Makes me look at my life differently. makes me stop struggling to be FREE from them.
Darlene went through all the ways our world views freedom..."freedom 55, economic freedom, political/social freedom-free to vote, freedom of speech, the sexual revolution to be free, psycological freedom in dealing with our "past", freedom of choice of a spouse/car/career... etc..
We're all about freedom in our society. Didn't you all just dream of what you would do when you moved out from your parents? Freedom is a goal our society values. I'm just not sure this is the freedom that christ died for, that cost him so much.
When I think of what true freedom means to me, it looks alot like perfection. To me to be free would be to have no more "issues" that tangle me up. I'd know how to handle every situation, i'd be free to speak my mind, i'd be free from the lies that keep me living in fear. I'd be able to give money away without it being an issue that our bills may not get paid. I wouldn't be needy any more and be able to do things on my own, figure things out without inconveniencing others with my troubles or messy little life. I want to be free from fear, free from pain, free from others, free from hiccups in the road. Free?
I couldn't help but think about God's funny ways of his upside down kingdom. Where he says to die to yourself is to really live. Where Christ's horrible Death on the cross = Life for us. Where to give is better to receive. Where the first shall be last and the last first. Where blessed are the poor. Where the rich young ruler is asked to give it all away.
And it dawned on me. I never think like God thinks. I much prefer to receive. I much prefer to be rich. I'd think the rich young ruler keeping it all and setting up some nice orphanages and counselling services would be a much better use of the money than just giving it away to people who may not spend it wisely. He's rich, he knows how to spend wisely doesnt' me? poor is bad. Poor means you haven't worked hard enough, your lazy, your unmotivated to make a better life for yourself, your stuck in your addictions. Are these the poor Jesus talks about or is he talking about the minority of poor who are immigrants, who just can't get a leg up, who try all they can and just can't get ahead. Well those poor in my head should be blessed, but ALL the poor? The squeegee guy who should just get a job? And really I think I can sometimes do it myself. That I don't need God's grace and salvation. I can work hard enough to earn it, or even to not need it. I can be kind, I can be generous, I can figure out what's wrong with me and read the right book to know how to fix it, fix me. I can live just fine without "dying to myself" - myself isn't really that bad is it now.
My ways when I get right down to it are not God's. My thoughts are not his. So then why do I think the way I see freedom and what it really could mean for me is what God sees or means? I haven't been right so far.
What if God's freedom looks like DEPENDENCE. What if God's freedom looks like NEEDING, like NOT HAVING IT ALL TOGETHER. Like having problems and road bumps all the time. What if freedom is having BOUNDARIES, having somethings that are NO's to us. Like health, like wealth, like un-handicapped kids, like problem free families. Maybe the things we fight against to be free from are really the things God had in mind to bring us freedom. True freedom. His freedom. Makes me look at my life differently. makes me stop struggling to be FREE from them.
4 Comments:
That is right on my preachin' sista!
You should preach THAT!
That is a good word!
We have friends from Nigeria who lived in HORRIBLE circumstances, but I tell you I haven't seen anyone who SHINES like they do! Apparently, in Nigeria corruptions abounds, and to STAY ALIVE from moment to moment requires CONSTANT PRAYER.
They are dependent every moment of every day on God for safety, food, air, protection...you name it.
They are the MOST free people I know!
Its true true true...
This makes me think of two things. I remember seeing movies when I was a kid where people have these elaborate contraptions tied to their arms as they flap vigorously and then take a running jump off a roof. Attempts like this to fly only resulted in them plumeting to the ground and breaking limbs. It was not until people began understanding the laws of nature (and obeying them) that the freedom to fly emerged.
The second thing it makes me think of was whether we truly comprehend these "laws". I agree that many people think of them as moral/ethical behavior rather than relational dependence on God. These things obviously overlap to a huge degree, but they are far from the same. Can you imagine Abraham saying to God, "You want me to kill Isaac?! But that's immoral!!" I don't know that that would have gone over. God by his very desire to have us depend on him creates problems for us - just like Abraham - and it is in this kind of childlike faith that true freedom emerges. Friendship, sonship, daughtership with God. Living morally (though good) does not take away problems or bring freedom. In fact I would argue that the only REAL morality springs from a childlike faith in God and requires little to no effort.
The financial freedom portion connects with me. I have always thought that if I just earned a little more, I would be free. I'm now trying to become free by owning less which will mean that I owe less. Society views tell us that we must have everything, and if I already own something - such as a house - I need to upgrade as it is my right.
Let's establish a community where we are happy to have little.
YEAH Curt!!thanks for the comment. good thots. Lets aim for that type of community...
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