Freedom is misunderstood. The Statue of Liberty that welcomes people as they arrive to America needs to be bookended with the Statue of Responsibility. We have overvalued liberty while neglecting our responsibilities. We have indeed become a nation of victims. Fixated on our rights and our feelings all while forgetting about right and wrong. We, in essence, want freedom to be free. It is not.
Freedom requires commitment. And, commitment has become outdated in our modern vocabulary. We like choices. More and more we choose what is comfortable and convenient. Commitment is too confining. We like choices…
Ruth understood commitment. She modeled the way. She embraced pain and suffering. She embodied truth in LOVE. She was a picture of “enduring” freedom. When her mother in law tried to persuade her to give up she gave a speech worth remembering.
“Entreat me not to leave you. Or to turn back from following after you; For where you go, I will go. And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, And there I will be buried…” Ruth 1:16-17
Freedom and responsibility are married. Humans are happiest when committed. Humans are happiest when they close themselves off from options. Funny, huh. Choice, my friend, can be so confusing and confounding. Comfort and convenience may work when selecting a hotel for the evening but commitment is the one you want in relationships; especially in marriage.
God, help me understand freedom and responsibility are bookends. God, help me understand that struggle is the gig. God, help me understand that You can be trusted; You want to help. God, help me honor my commitments and keep showing up. God, help me…
BUILT TO LEAD 