"They may take our lives, but they'll never take our FREEDOM!"
Every man who's watched the gut-wrenching, adrenaline pumping story of William Wallace in the movie Braveheart knows there's a fight worth fighting, namely for freedom.
Many have forsaken the intent of freedom to mean entitlement. We have traded hard work for a handout and have neglected responsibility in the name of being the victim. There's an expectation that we are owed a return without making a true investment.
One author wrote, "Liberty is not to do as we wish but rather to do as we ought." To do otherwise is simply an abuse of our liberty.
Abusing our liberties is a form of selfishness. A misplaced view of freedom leads to selfish behavior. We are granted certain freedoms as an opportunity to be contributors to society not merely to escalate personal gain. "Do not use your freedom as a covering for evil but use it as bond slaves for God" (1 Peter 2:16).
Abusing our liberties forfeits influence. When influence is neglected we jeopardize the opportunity to speak truth into the lives of others. When influence is minimized we miss the opportunity to empower others for the greater good of any worthy cause. "You were called to freedom but do not let your freedom be turned into an opportunity for the flesh but through lover serve one another" (Gal 5:13).
Abusing our liberties discounts the gospel. When our liberties become law we discredit the foundation of the gospel. Our liberties, at their core, are merely gifts. When they are abused they misrepresent the good news Jesus proclaimed. Our first and primary liberty is the liberty we find in Christ Himself. And we must learn to function by this paradigm, "If the Son has set you free, you are free indeed" (John 8:36).
As Christians, we must see our liberties as gifts from God useful for building up the community of faith as we serve the Lord's purposes. Many of us need to be reminded that life is not about doing what we want, when we want, as we want. Christ didn't purchase our life to do as we please! The sooner we realize the truth of Christ's freedom for us the more meaningful our life will become. "You will know the truth and the truth will set you free" (John 8:32).
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