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Living Free

by Jennifer Champion  
7/03/2015 / World Affairs

Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. (1 Peter 2:16 ESV)

As I reflect today on freedom and what it really means, I can't help but think of the many men and women that have died in the name of freedom. Not just in America but going back hundreds and thousands of years. Moses led his people out of Egypt so they could be free, the Pilgrims traveled across the Atlantic to America in search of freedom, and many American soldiers have died to keep the United States free. There are so many examples in history and in modern day society where people are risking life and limb to obtain freedom.

The United States is a country where freedom and democracy is its light unto the world. It has been a beacon of hope to many in countries where tyranny reigns. At what price though has the people of America paid in the name of freedom? In the seventies, a woman's right to choose whether her unborn child shall live or die was made legal. The unborn children lost their freedom that day. Since that day in 1973, it is estimated that over 55,000,000 babies have been killed. The women that had the abortion are never truly free from the pain and regret of that day and those children were never given a choice yet the US still believes it acceptable because it is a woman's right. It is her freedom of choice.

On June 26, 2015 the United States Supreme Court ruled that all fifty states have to marry same-sex couples. It is a homosexuals right to marry. In order for them to feel truly free, they should be allowed to do so. The aftermath of the decision has been overwhelming. Christians across the country that do not agree are being forced out their jobs in courthouse across the country because they won't marry same sex couples. The Federal government is heavy-handedly dealing with the situation by forcing state and local governments to perform same sex ceremonies and issue licenses whether the people of their own locale voted against it or not. Democracy and freedom of choice for those that disagree with the ruling have been tossed aside. I am not a prophet or a fortune teller but in the days, months, and years to come, America will be experiencing a plethora of legal battles, hate crimes, and dissention all in the name of a homosexual's right to marry.

For a country that was founded by immigrants, America now is building fences and setting out armed guards to keep people from Mexico from coming in. These people are in search of a better life and in search of freedom. I believe that yes they should come in legally and become a citizen and no I do not believe they should be allowed the benefits that the legal working citizens of the US receive but I also do not believe they should be shot for crossing the border. The US is sending the message that it is no longer the land of the free but the land of what it defines as free.

Since 1992, the United States seems to have turned its back on those that protect and serve to keep freedom in place and safe. The police men and women of the US are on the firing line for doing their job. They wake up every morning and walk out the door knowing they may not return later. There are no valid statistics on police using excessive force but there is more media coverage of it. The media has chosen to turn the police into the hated ones and the ones that are in the wrong despite what they face every day on the job. Local law enforcement agencies across the US are composed of just at 1 million people according to a recent study and America prisons house over 2 million prisoners. A policeman's freedom to do his or her job is now in the balance. The odds are stacked against them and they are no longer viewed as the good guys.

In the United States now, people are stomping on the flag in defiance and disrespect. I think it is ironic that now in our current state of all these freedoms like abortion and homosexual marriage, citizens are wanting to stomp on the flag. The ones stomping on it are those that support these things. They do it all in the name of free speech.

While America is undergoing some sort of fast paced societal breakdown, the rest of the world is watching. There are people in our world where freedom is only a dream. They are held down because of just being born into a poor group of people. Their lives are of no value to their government or to those that are of a higher social status. They are sold into slavery at a young age. They are strapped with bombs and sent into a street to kill others all in the name of religion. Each year over 2.5 million children die from hunger because their government fails to help them. As the US argues on taking the Dukes of Hazard off television, there are people in the world that have never seen a TV.

What is true freedom? It is freedom to say anything you want no matter who it offends? It is the freedom to marry whoever you want? It is the freedom to kill an unborn baby? It is the freedom to disrespect the flag? No, true freedom is in the Truth of God.

"And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:32 ESV)

Instead of living our lives as servants of the God that created us, we have turned our backs and use our "freedom" as an excuse to sin. This is not a new thought yet, people today act like they are the first ones to come up with these ideas. History has proven that these choices to sin and use freedom as a cover up always fail. Always. God's word is firm and never changes. God never changes.

Dear heavenly Father, I pray for our nation and for those that use their freedom to commit sins against you. Please forgive them, Lord because they do not believe or know what they are doing against you. I pray you protect my family when you bring down your wrath upon these people. Amen.

Jennifer Rubino Champion is actively involved in prison and jail ministry in Central and West Alabama. She and her husband Patrick have five children and a fur baby, Maggie. She is an author and artist and you can visit her website at www.jenniferchampion.com

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