Freedom journey is never-ending
“Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!” — Patrick Henry
When a people are trapped in a condition of slavery, oppression, and poverty, breaking out is extremely hard. But I am now a firm believer that once the break-out is accomplished, the staying free part is also extremely hard.
It is so very easy to fall back into the mindset, habits and attitudes that got one trapped or caught up in the hopeless place to begin with. In this country we have just celebrated the freedom acquired in 1776 by the inhabitants of this country — and the freedom enforced for the last slaves in 1865.
At the same time that we celebrate freedom, we must be vigilant and make every effort to hold on to the freedom gained. We must remember to be on guard at all times. Reaching a point and then assuming that one has reached the final point is not a healthy conclusion.
In the 1960s Black people relaxed after being able to sit down at lunch counters and eat in restaurants. At the same time, laws were being drawn up against them in other areas of society — such as high interest on borrowed money, limited ability to borrow money, last hired first fired and many other discriminating laws. The guards went down and they looked the other way, not realizing that the deck was being stacked against them.
What is freedom and what is the source of said freedom? Many times, I have seen individuals connect with Christ and just assume that nothing else must be done because they have arrived. Not so. The Freedom journey is never ending. The Christian journey ends when we breathe our last breath on this side of the sun.
Progressive sanctification indicates that one never reaches the state of perfection on this side. Paul stated it clearly for followers of Christ. He said, “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect; but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also, I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.”
Fighting for and maintaining freedom is a continuous battle. If we stop pressing to hold on to our freedom, we will lose it. Usually, it is because of the satisfaction of thinking that one has arrived that one gets too comfortable. Striving for freedom is a never-ending journey. There are always individuals or circumstances waiting to take or rob humans of that precious gift.
How sad it is when one does not realize that his freedom ends where another individual’s freedom begins.
The 21-year-old who did the killing on the Fourth of July had all the right in the world to purchase the guns. He had the right to purchase all of the ammunition that the store had on hand. He had the right to get in his car and drive to the parade. He also had the right to climb on top of the highest building near the parade route. He had the right to have his legally purchased guns with him.
His freedom ended at that point.
When he decided to pick up the gun and fire down on the individuals on the street enjoying the Independence Day parade, his freedom ended then and there. He then began to take the freedom of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness from others — and no one human has that right.
A couple of weeks ago, two groups celebrated their freedom. One group paraded to celebrate the freedom to be who the creator made them gender-wise, and the other group paraded to celebrate the freedom to feel comfortable in the color skin the creator placed them in. They were both celebrating freedom from the man-made shackles put on by people who are different.
These shackles are so strong that they damage the soul of a human being by having a negative impact on his spirit, mind, body, heart and soul. These parts are the total makeup of a man. When these parts of a human being are negatively impacted socially, spiritually, morally, and emotionally he has nothing left but fragmented parts of a being. He is then required to call attention to the need to have those areas unchained and put back together so he can be healthy — so that he can be free.
All of you who are being shackled by man-made ideas and restraints continue to step up and demand to be free.