Responsible Freedom

In America, we are wired with the belief in freedom, it is a part the fabric into which we are woven. We tend to equate freedom with the right to do what we want, even if it is to the disapproval of others and to our personal detriment.  

We have reached a point in our national history where this notion of personal freedom has eclipsed the need for personal responsibility. Far too many are willing to get what they want on the backs of others, without regarding the impact the exercise of my freedom might have on another, taking no personal responsibility for the harm their freedom might cause another. 

In Christ, we are afforded the very freedom upon which this country's ideal of freedom was originally was born. However, in Him, the freedom is very specifically to be exercised within the boundaries of personality to others. While we may the freedom to do any number of things, we are called to consider the impact of a particular exercise of freedom upon another. 

Listen to how the apostle Paul expresses our right in light of our responsibility: “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. No one should seek their own good, but the good of others" (1 Cor 10:23-24).

Exercising freedom to do whatever I want without regard to the impact on another is to deny the very foundation of our freedom: Love.  It was out of Christ's love for the Father and us that prompted him to say, "Yet not my will but yours be done" (Mark 14:36), which led him to the cross and our freedom from the heavy hand if law and sin. 

Freedom to choose - yes. Freedom to be irresponsible - not!  Jus' Sayn.