Freedom For What?

Today is July 4th, which is not actually the holiday, it is simply the day upon which we celebrate Indendence Day.  This is the day we set aside to recognize the freedom, which we enjoy in this country.  And may I say, by the hand of God.  Not everyone believes this but the Pilgrims who came here and our Founding Fathers who pledged their sacred oath and their lives to establish this country did - and so do I.

And freedom is, by the way, a uniquely Christian calling: "You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free" (John 8:32).  But freedom for what?  Freedom to chase the American Dream?  Freedom to get as much  as we can get, do as much as we can do, pleasure ourselves as much as we can be pleasured?  Is that what God intends for the freedom we have been afforded by the blood of His Son and the blood of our country's sons and daughters who gave them up on the battle fields?

Not!  Listen to the words of Isaiah: "Woe to you who add house to house and join field to field till no space is left and you live alone in the land" (Isa 5:8).   The blessings God has afforded us in this land, like ancient Israel before us, was not to selfishly gather up all we can acquire personally.  The freedom God has in mind is a freedom to do our best, become our best and share our best.

Our freedom allowed this country to be a beacon of light for the world, a light that shows a better way and attracts peoples from every corner of the globe.  Our freedom allowed us to be the champion of the hopeless and downtrodden everywhere.  Lately, our light has shined less brightly but the reason for that light of freedom has not changed.  

God blesses, not so one can be fat and happy but rather can happily share the fat of the land with others.  Listen to the simple words of our Lord Jesus: "Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same" (Luke 3:11).  

We are free and we are prosperous so that we can enjoy the blessings of God as we share them with others.  As we celebrate that freedom, let us not forget how we gained it and with whom we should share it's blessings.  Jus' Sayn.