Sunday, July 4, 1999
Sunday, July 4, 1999
As servants of God, live as free people, yet do not use your freedom as a pretext for
evil.
(1 Peter 2:16
NRSV)
Let's pretend for a moment. Let's pretend that we are very small. Say about the size of a finger.
And let's suppose some one put us in a box and would not let us out. We would be prisoners,
wouldn't we? We would not be free.
Now I want you to imagine an invisible box--an invisible box in your mind. Did you know that
some of us carry invisible prisons around in our minds? Let's use some examples. Suppose
somebody told you that you were stupid and you believed them and you never tried to be smart.
That would be like building a box around your brain, wouldn't it? Suppose somebody told you
were clumsy. You might walk around tripping over things just because that is how you viewed
yourself. Supposed somebody said you are bad. Gee, you might never try to be good.
Jesus does not want you to live in a box. What box do you need to discard?
Ronald Newhouse, Texas, USA
This time of year we think about freedom. We celebrate the Fourth of July as our day of
Independence when we became a nation. We thank God for our freedom. That is why many of us
display an American flag. It symbolizes our freedom. Freedom, however, means many things.
Prayer: Loving God, help me to discard the boxes the hold me back from experiencing
your full freedom of love and grace. Amen.
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