{my graphics are free goodies for you}
“What would you do if you won the lottery?”
Researchers posed that question to 2,500 adults and among the top responses were:
- Purchase an RV
- Have a personal hairdresser (In the RV?)
- Hire a chauffeur (For the RV?)
There were a few more altruistic answers sprinkled in as well. But it seems humans have a fondness for spending money on themselves. And very large vehicles. The temptation to see freedom as simply a way to pursue what we want has been around as long as humans. The Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Galatia:
“For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love” (Gal. 5:13).
As we celebrate freedom on the 4th of July, the last phrase in that verse keeps repeating in my mind and heart: Use your freedom to serve one another in love.
We have a lot of freedom in America. Freedom of speech. Freedom to worship. Freedom to do what we believe leads to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” And those freedoms weren’t won in a lottery. They were bought with the blood of soldiers. And the freedom Paul spoke of was bought with the blood of our Savior.
So maybe today it’s time to pause and remember the highest, best freedom. Love.
Let’s only speak words that make hearts stronger. Let’s worship the God who gave everything for us. Let’s pause in our pursuits and serve the least of these.
“Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others” (Php. 2:1-4, italics mine).
That’s what true freedom looks like. You won’t find it in a snarky Facebook post. Or in the rant of a “religious” leader tearing others to shreds. It won’t be at the table with gossip. Because the irony is: when we stop loving, we give up our freedom. We become entangled in our own words and hatred until we can’t breathe, can’t see, can’t even drive our own RV.
Yes, July 4th is a time to celebrate an important event in history. But let’s also think about what real freedom means for us right here, right now. We don’t need to win the lottery to send out a little more love into the world or have faith like a firework lighting up the dark.
XOXO
Holley Gerth
p.s. If you liked this post you’ll enjoy You’re Loved No Matter What, Freeing Your Heart from the Need to Be Perfect.
****
Welcome to the Coffee for Your Heart weekly link-up! You’re an encourager so I’m asking you to pour out a little love with your words every Wednesday {link-up goes live at 5:30am CST}. Simply write an encouraging blog post and then share it here. Don’t have a blog? You can still write an encouraging comment. If you’re reading this by email, go to holleygerth.com to see all the fun and join in too.
Pretty please use this button in your blog post so others can easily join in with us {html code in right sidebar}. And when you link up your post, take a moment to leave an encouraging comment on the one that’s linked up just before yours. Thanks, friends!
I’m having Coffee For Your Heart with my friend Holley Gerth
{click to tweet that you’re joining me here today}
[inlinkz_linkup id=721333 mode=1]
