On Freedom
Well in all honesty I really tried to not start this post in such a way, but I failed.
I was going for a scenic opener, maybe one that talked about how beautiful the drive is from Craigmont to Cascade, Idaho.
Or perhaps lament at the great heat that I passed through on my way down that same way, though, I then remembered the far more lamentable things along the road and felt my whining would be a bit inappropriate.
At this point all of those things are true, the drive is beautiful, meadows, fields of grain, mountains in the background, rivers with rapids and calm water, canyons, wildlife. It was also terribly hot for me, the high point on the Jeep’s thermometer was at 102 degrees Fahrenheit (thankfully not the 117 just a couple of days earlier). And, there are a great many lamentable scattered along the way as well.
A few of these include a massacre of Chinese miners along the Salmon River way on back in history. I’ve been to one of their houses, what was left of it at least, on our way down that river on a raft trip. At White Bird Hill the first battle of the Nez Perce war was fought as well.
Yes, truly a sour note to start an article.
A Mixed Up World
All of that sourness aside (or alongside of it, perhaps) we still see great joy among people, all people, and perhaps somewhat less as we get older.
I remember a moment in Mexico watching several children race down a hillside inside of or on top of some small toy cars. It was a good steep hill, definitely something I would have been doing had I been ten years younger… or not working. Homes of Hope International It was a small house, but a start. Amidst rather great poverty the children were able to enjoy themselves and, after we completed the house, their mom was able to enjoy herself a bit more too.
Much of the time nothing is truly all well or all terrible, and in a moment either could overcome us if we gave ourselves over to it.
Where does freedom fit into this?
Right, the article is about freedom isn’t it… well, here it goes.
In the case of our family in Mexico what did a house mean? To the kids, it was a place to call home. To their mom, it was also a place to call home, but also a place that provided safety. It had a door that could be locked. It looked like it would certainly keep out mosquitoes. It would be a place her family could keep warm.
I am from the United States and, right now, I am also living in the United States. I have traveled to other places in the world as well. I can assure you, we take freedom for granted.
The basic measure of freedom is not indulging ourselves in video games and cable, any amount of fast food that we desire, or letting ourselves get caught up in an attitude that is rude toward other people or nations. We are free to do so, but it is freedom at great cost to our mind, body, and relationship with others. This is the freedom that has caught so much criticism from people who think to people who are just plain offended.
One of the values of freedom is that we are free to do good and be joyful.
How many of us will leave our homes as a family this 4th of July? Or on another occasion?
I specifically know of families who have not left their homes as a family in India for over a decade for fear that it will be broken into.
Think about that. How free are we again? This isn’t personal freedom, we are free in whatever circumstance we are living in, though, this is about the freedom to do good and be joyful.
I know of many beautiful chalk drawing in front of Indian homes, though, it wasn’t until I read of Vishal Mangalwadi’s work on society that I realized why they were there. Once upon a time, there was so little safety for women in India that none of the girls left the family home for fear that they would be abused by men outside. Chalk flowers would communicate how many girls were in the family and if anyone was of marrying age.
On the drive down I also heard a similar story of youth in El Salvador.
The report was that if a young person wanted to go to high school they would need to go to the city, though, the gangs were practicing extortion. If you could not pay the gang every month you would be killed.
Have you ever heard of anyone down talking safety?
In Conclusion
Let’s try to get our head back in the real world for a moment.
This world really does suck in a lot of places and circumstances, it has for as long as we’ve been here as well. At the same time joy has also been present.
I strongly believe that freedom is something that God gives us. I also strongly believe that with God-given freedom there is a great need for God honoring character. At any point in time there may be a person with freedom, but what will we do with it?
Is there a passion in your heart for something?
Apply yourself to it in a way that honors God and see what He will do. Homes of Hope International is one example of this. There are many as there needs, yet, there are also many passions that can make a good difference.
This 4th of July, think about that sort of freedom.
In Christ,
The Abiding Kingdom
The Abiding Kingdom 