June Letter 2007

The summer months are around the corner and we can already feel the warmth building each and every day. For students, the “summer” has already begun, and with it comes the incredible freedom and release from schedules once filled with school obligations, homework, and extra-curricular activities. It's amazing that in a country so “free,” we often feel imprisoned by our daily duties; our everyday activities. In fact, it might be that we really aren't as “free” as we think. Many are trapped by their occupations, emotions, families, or school. The chains of captivity keep us bound to our jobs, satisfying our families, securing our futures, or maintaining happy feelings.

In a country built on freedom, where is it that we are truly free? After all, we aren't free to purchase a ticket and just walk onto a plane. Instead we have security checks and even invasive searches. We aren't free to do whatever we want. We have laws and rules which govern how we are to act, preventing certain behaviors from becoming the norm (murder, rape, assault, etc.). We are not free to eat or drink whatever we want, whenever we want. There are laws and regulations which are designed to prevent the use of illicit drugs, underage alcohol consumption, and smoking in certain places. I have realized over the years that although we enjoy certain liberties, none of us are guaranteed total freedom. There is always something which forces itself upon us from the outside, keeping us “contained.”

Now we may recognize that many of these external forces (laws, for example) are good things. They help us to live together peaceably. However, there are external forces that are not always good. The way our “free” country operates makes it a “must” to work and prepare financially for retirement. That “must” can imprison people to the slavery of a job; to the fear of financial insecurity. The way our “free” country embraces education makes many students feel bound and tied to getting the best grades, no matter the cost. All of this creates prisoners bound by external forces.

The good news is that much of this is self-inflicted, meaning we have a means of escape. It does not have to be the case that we are bound to our job, our school, our families, or our desire for pure, unadulterated happiness. Instead, we can throw off the chains that bind us, and realize that life is about more than these things. Ultimately what imprisons us is a sense of necessity in having financial security, an enjoyable job, a perfect family, or the absence of turmoil. The truth is insecurity is a part of life, many tasks in life are not fun, even the best families fight, and challenges in life are inevitable.

Freedom is found not in achieving our pursuits, but in living regardless of whether or not we achieve them. The goals and objectives we have in our lives are not bad in themselves. But when they imprison us by causing us to believe that life is only about these things, then we risk our freedom and peace of mind and subject ourselves to slavery. True freedom is realizing that we are not bound to anything; that life is not about achieving anything; life is simply about living.

We as Christians can see this truth operate in our spiritual lives as we understand the slavery of sin and the freedom of Christ. Sin is slavery; it is the perpetual mindset that this life is about something else besides being a Child of God; an infinitely valuable person. Our faith in Christ focuses our attention on our worth and value as the recipient of God's unconditional Love; a Love that is not dependent on our achievements or life-goals. Thus, truly embracing this Love rids us of the chains and slavery brought on by thinking we “must” be financially secure, emotionally satisfied, academically impressive, or socially acceptable.

This summer, as we watch children run “freely” through the streets, may we remember that life is not about our jobs, our families, our grades, or how good we feel. Life is about living. Life is about living as a Child of God, as an infinitely valuable person who God has chosen to give God's Love. In that we are free. In that we find peace. And in that, we can find happiness.