One of the most precious words in any language is freedom. It is pronounced a hundred ways but means the same thing in every human heart. The desire to decide for oneself what to think and how to live is an inborn desire planted there by our Creator. Contrary to many religious leaders, true service to God does not demand mental lockstep. If God wanted us all to live and think and act in unison, He could easily have created us that way. And what a dull existence life would be!
God is a creator. He thinks new thoughts and plans new things. Furthermore, he created us in His image with that same characteristic. Freedom to dream of doing, writing, singing and going where no one has ever been before is what makes us so special. To sing freedom, to write freedom, to act freely makes life full and complete, but only if we use that freedom wisely. One could easily use freedom to destroy one’s own health and the lives of those about them. We can eat our way into the grave. We can gamble away all our substance if we choose.
But freedom used wisely is a magnificent thing. In Galatians 5:1 Paul declares that Christ has set us free from the bondage of rule-keeping systems to allow us room to grow into our own special uniqueness. God only wants one of you so that forever you will be special. Your thoughts, your dreams, your goals belong to no one else. In love we blend them with the dreams of others and produce the harmony of a community.
Written by Roger Bothwell on June 22, 2004
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