Freedom within the Laws by Gloria Doty Freedom is a word we use frequently in the month of July. We picture the flag and all it represents: freedom to worship, freedom of speech, freedom to congregate, freedom of the press and many more.
“We have freedom in our lives because we know the boundaries God has set and we try to live within those boundaries. We fail many times, but we have the freedom to ask for forgiveness and get back in the game or we can sit on the sidelines forever.”
The literal definition of the word freedom is: “the power or right to act, speak or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.” With that definition in mind, do we have total freedom? No. If everyone could act and speak as they wanted without hindrance, we would have total chaos, not total freedom. Who could live in a country where everyone had the right to drive 100 mph through your neighborhood if they felt like it, or you could burn your neighbor’s house to the ground when they made you angry? Freedom only works within the parameters of the laws we put in place. As my daughter and I watched one of the NBA playoff games, she asked me if it wouldn’t be better if there were no referees; the game would go faster. I explained that the referees are needed to keep the players from breaking all the rules. They are free to play as they choose, but if their actions are outside the ‘laws’ of the game, they are penalized. Even children’s games have rules. Try moving your game piece ahead when it isn’t your turn and see how your 3-year-old feels about that. This caused me to think of our Heavenly Father. Many times people contend they don’t want to be a Christian because they would lose all their freedoms. I think it is the exact opposite. We have freedom in our lives because we know the boundaries God has set and we try to live within those boundaries. We fail many times, but we have the freedom to ask for forgiveness and get back in the game or we can sit on the sidelines forever. Just as we need to honor and show our appreciation for the many men and women who sacrifice to protect the freedoms we have in this country, we also need to honor and appreciate the freedom won for us by the death of Jesus Christ. As we celebrate the 4th of July with friends and family and salute the flag as it passes, remember to celebrate the freedom God grants us, also. 42