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Freedom And Restraint

             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. (Galatians 5:13)

This weekend, we remember those who gave their lives to give us freedom and to keep us free. How often, I wonder, do we confuse the word freedom with control? There’s a sense in which it might be said to be true. If we’re in a prison camp-or anywhere else where we don’t make the rules (like in the universe) there are levels or sorts of freedom that are not available. We can’t teleport ourselves to another planet, and even if we could, chances are good that we wouldn’t enjoy or survive the experience without equipment that would restrict our “freedom.” We would find that exercising complete freedom in our relationships with anyone (let alone everyone) would win us no friends, and anyone who exercised such freedom with us would likely lose all freedom very quickly.

The only way we can have complete freedom – or seem to have it -is if we are in a reality populated with figments of our imagination. That is the only way our freedom and the freedom of every other person can respected.  In order to live with actual other people, we have to accept restrictions, whether practicing them by our own choice or bowing to the dictates of others. The same is true even if the relationship is with God. He can do whatever He wants to do, but Scripture records debates between God and Abraham, Moses, Gideon, Elijah, Hezekiah, Amos, Peter, Paul – and others. In most of these cases, God gives them their way. In order to give us freedom, God restrains or restricts Himself.

If we would be “like the Most High God,” then we must follow His example of self-control so that others have freedom. Our greatest freedom may be in freeing others – in those areas and ways that it is morally acceptable to do so.

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