Who or what are you a slave to? Do you recognize you are a slave? Have you opened your eyes and looked around yourself? Are you willing to take on the responsibility of freedom to remain free? Your freedom was bought at a high price.
We are slaves in one fashion or another. Unfortunately, many, many people are slaves to various objects or people of this world. We don’t really like the term slave, yet we are slaves. We are slaves to the almighty dollar. We are slaves to our possessions. We are slaves to our boyfriends or girlfriends. We are slaves to our spouses. We are slaves to … you fill in the blank.
We don’t have to be slaves to any of these things or people. Jesus came to set us free. Sure, we still need to work to provide shelter, food, and clothing for ourselves and our families. Yet that doesn’t have to mean we are slaves to our jobs and our possessions.
The freedom Jesus provided is a freedom of the mind, a freedom of attitude. It isn’t a freedom from responsibility. In fact, freedom requires we are responsible. If we are not responsible with our freedom, we return to slavery. It is exercising our freedom responsibly, including properly remembering the cost of our freedom, that allows us to continue in our freedom.
Many of us want to run away from our responsibility. We don’t like having responsibility put on our shoulders. Our preference is to let someone else be responsible. Think about that for just a minute. If someone else is responsible for us, are we not slaves to them, their preferences, and their decisions?
Taking on the responsibility for the freedom we’ve been given does not mean we are to be abrasive in protecting our freedom. It does mean we make the appropriate decisions based on acquiring the proper information. It means following the example of Jesus. It means being a person who is aware of what is going on around us. It means we are to think about our freedom and be judicious in our decisions.
I pray all of us recognize the freedom we have been given by Jesus. I pray we all take on the responsibility that comes with that freedom. I pray each of us decide to follow the example of Jesus. Be responsible. Enjoy your freedom. Don’t be slaves to this world. Follow Jesus.
Galatians 4:8-9 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?
Marty Pressey 