The movie “Braveheart” is one of my all-time favorites. The main character, William Wallace was a man committed to the freedom of Scotland. His impassioned resistance to the Scots being enslaved by the English ultimately led him to choose death rather than giving up his freedom.
Today, it seems this type of person is a relic from a bygone era and is more likely to be seen in a movie than in our everyday lives. It is almost as if the willingness for people to die for their freedom is a concept that has been lost.
Instead, it appears people would rather surrender than fight to preserve their freedom.
When I say people, I am including the Church of Jesus Christ in that statement. I find a sad irony in their willingness to choose to relinquish their freedoms.
At the same time this is taking place, many are giving justification for that willingness. They do so with some righteous reason in mind. Though giving up your freedoms is anything but righteous.
This is a sad indictment on both the Church and a nation where our lifestyle, prosperity and freedom were bought by the shed blood of those who were willing to die so we could be free.
In the past as it is today, there will always be those who will promise you a way out if you will give in to their whims and wishes. Jesus himself was offered a way out by Pontius Pilate. A way which could have saved Him from the Cross. Yet, He chose the freedom to carry out His Father’s will over the preservation of His earthly life. A price that bought the freedom of all who would choose to believe in Him.
This is what true righteousness looks like.
My primary point in all this is freedom always has a cost and because we have all been free our entire lives, we have forgotten the price that was paid. Where, we go from here is uncertain, but what is certain is freedom is never free.
The cry in “Braveheart” was,” you can take our lives, but you can never take our freedom”. In a completely different way, this same cry was demonstrated by our Lord as He lay His life down for our freedoms. When He looked at those who were jeering Him and said,” forgive them Father for they know not what they are doing.”
After considering these examples, if we will still give up the freedom others have died for, we must ask ourselves are we truly free at all?
I believe, this is a pivotal time in history. The Church, as with the world will be defined by its response to this moment. The question is will we allow our fear or our freedom to define us?
I fear, the answer will be seen sooner than we think!
GALATIANS 5:1, “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
