Freed to Be Good
Another Independence Day has come and gone. Another opportunity for me at least to think about the whole idea of freedom. For some, independence is seen as the freedom to do whatever they want. And for many that involves the freedom to be utterly self-focused and greedy no matter what it may cost to them or to others.
Yes, freedom is usually seen from a totally self-focused perspective: I want to be utterly free to do and believe whatever I want, but others can’t be that free. They might intrude on my own freedoms.
It is ironic to me that while we can celebrate the freedom in the United States that allowed our ancestors to come from their Old Countries and set up a home here, we no longer want others to do that. It might take something of mine away. The Preacher on Sunday refered to the poem “The New Colossus” which resides below the feet of the Statue of Liberty.
“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
with silent lips, “Give me your tired, your poor
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
Easy to forget what truly makes any country great. It isn’t the possessions and wealth. It isn’t the power and technology. It is the heart. It is the compassion.
There have been times when the USA has had a better heart. Sadly, right now, our heart is too cold and self-focused. We have become a selfish people. We are losing our greatness.
It is only as we decide to again be a truly welcoming people that we will be back on the road to greatness.
That is true for nations. It is true for churches. It is true for families and for individuals. As we are people open to share what we have received, we will be great. As we are people looking for ways to welcome the stranger and the hurting we will be great.
So for me, freedom isn’t really about the freedom to do whatever I want. Freedom is about the ability to again be good and to do the right thing, freed from the addictions and pride and selfishness that binds our hearts and closes our souls to others. For as we close our hearts to others we really close our hearts to ourselves living free and abundant life.
