Freedom

Everyone wants to be and feel free. The dictionary says freedom is “the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.” However that is not exactly true and I bet like me, you have heard statements like “your freedom ends where my nose begins” or “your right to swing your arms end where my face begins”. You are free to enter the store but not free to pull things off the shelf, place in your bag and walk out.

Freedom must be exercised within the confines of common sense and responsibility. The prodigal son was free to take his inheritance and leave home; he was free to use it as he wished but because he exercised that freedom recklessly, he ended up in a pig pen.

Easter just ended and I am still pondering over the freedom Christ won for us through His death and resurrection. He has freed us, among another things, from the power of sin and the choke-hold of the Law. We are free in Him to live as God created us to live, free to worship, free to serve and love one another, etc.

It may sound contradictory but freedom comes with restrictions; let us call it responsibilities. Without these we have a tendency to go overboard in our bid to exercise our freedom. 1 Peter 2:16 offers us some guidelines: “Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; …” as does Galatians 5:13 which says “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh ; rather, serve one another humbly in love.”

As you exercise your freedom in Christ, ensure that your choices, your actions, your associations glorify God and are also not a stumbling block to your fellow believers or even unbelievers. The apostle Paul tops it off with this, “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive.” 1 Corinthians 10:23

So live free but live responsibly and let love for God and for your neighbor regulate your exercise of freedom.

Blessings.

Love, Lady Monica.❤