For Freedom!

As we approach the fourth of July tomorrow, freedom comes to mind. We are so fortunate to have such an amazing gift, for which so many have paid such a price. May we not forget those who have sacrificed, nor those who are still fighting or suffering as they wait for their own freedom. As followers of a loving God, my hope is that we all do what we can to “alleviate evil, injustice and oppression,” as we are reminding in the United Methodist vows, “in whatever forms they present themselves.”

Freedom (and lack of it) is not a new topic. The early church struggled with the idea of freedom, and we can read much about that struggle in the book of Galatians. The Jews felt that the Gentiles needed to follow the law, basically earning their way in to Christianity, but that was not the message of Christ. There was much debate over the necessity of the new believers adopting the Jewish law, which is where we get verses such as, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free” (Galatians 5:1), and “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36).

There was a group of people trying to ensure that “others” were doing what they needed to in order to earn their spot at the table, and essentially, their right to the love of God. Thankfully, this debate has been settled for Christianity, and we now pretty much all agree that God loves us, even if we were not born of Jewish heritage.

As I type, however, I can think of many “others” in the world who are being told they are not good enough to earn the love of God or the respect of some people. I don’t even have to list out these groups, because I’m sure you can think of an oppressed people as you read. And while we may not be called to physically fighting this injustice and oppression, I do think we are called to stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves. This fight for you may be just ensuring that others understand that they have value, it may be writing a letter to voice your opinion about an injustice that you can no longer watch, or it may simply be lending a listening ear to a person who you know feels “othered.”

As those who are free, I can think of no better way to thank God and honor that freedom than to fight for those who are not. My prayer is that as we enter in to celebrations tomorrow, we find our own small way to help alleviate evil and ensure that all of God’s creation has the opportunity to celebrate in freedom.