What is freedom? It’s really one thing, the freedom to choose. However, many of us, think we are free but, in reality, we have given up our choice.
We parade ourselves as having the strength to push through pain and suffering but, we don’t realize that we are simply bowing down our bodies to a master who will only demand of us more pain and suffering. We choose, in reality, to slowly give up our choice. Our simple choice to rest.
Our slave masters, we call them bosses today, will, inch by inch, day by day, drive us into an untimely and painful death if given long enough. My own mother is an example. She, in her sincere desire to make a “good life” for herself and her child, me, is now battling the results of a life of overwork and under-attention to the needs of her body.
And many of God’s professed commandment keepers and doing the same thing. We work ourselves into a state of suffering and debilitation. And, all the meanwhile, thinking we are doing the LORD service.
But, what does the LORD actually require of us?
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
Micah 6:8 (KJV)
He requires of us to love mercy; not to be the hardest working people. We should love treating people with mercy. What? When people are struggling, tempted of the devil, in trying and difficult circumstances, our highest aims should be to treat them with mercy?
Wait, when Jesus was on the earth, and He revealed the character of the Father, what did He do?
Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them.
Matthew 4:24 (NKJV)
Jesus, who understood more clearly than anyone else that many people brought upon themselves different diseases and demons, didn’t utter one Word of rebuke, but, rather healed them in mercy and, then, told them “sin no more”.
Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.”
John 5:14 (NKJV)
Now, many people think it commendable that they have “earned” their livelihood. But, let’s really examine this idea that we have earned something.
How much did we pay God to give us the breath of life? Or, how many pesos did we pay for our heart, lungs, brain, teeth? Not even the poor widow, which donated her 2 little mites, paid a single penny for her organs that kept her body in working condition.
How many hours did we work to earn our parents, who raised us to “earn a living”? What contract did we sign with Jesus, in which we agreed to exchange goods or services in order to be in favorable circumstances that fostered our growth. Much of the world is poor and can’t afford a device to read this article and, could never, in their wildest dreams work to such a position. Yet, somehow, we think we had something to do with our position in life.
“And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?”
John 5:14 (NKJV)