GODLY FREEDOM
Galatians 5:1
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”
True Freedom in Christ devotion and lesson showed how Christians’ bodies are not our own. Everything a believer sees, hears, speaks and acts on either delights or grieves the Holy Spirit, who lives within! People watch and judge Christians to determine what’s different about us. Do we look like happy free people?
“Mike! Where are you?” Ten-year old Jeremy yelled out the back door of his house. It was a hot day and he wanted to bike to the pool with his big brother, fourteen-year old Michael. He walked into the woods. Sniff. Sniff. That smells like cigarette smoke! he thought.
Michael blew smoke out from his mouth, the lit cigarette by his side. Jeremy watched a few seconds before saying, “Mike. What do you think you’re doing?”
“Ah, nothing, lil’ bro.” Michael said, throwing the lit cigarette on the ground. He stamped it out and faced Jeremy. “This is none of your business.”
“Comon man, we’re football players! You really don’t want to get hooked on cigarettes do you?” Jeremy challenged his big brother.
Jesus’ job description comes from Isaiah 61:1-3: “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.”
Christians are assigned this job description too, as Jesus’ disciples!
“OK, give me one, Mike” Jeremy said. “What’s good for you is good for me.”
Don’t do it, Michael! 1 Corinthians 8:9 warns us, “Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.”
God’s kids are on display for the world to see. If we behave exactly as the world behaves, what’s the difference? Why would anyone want to follow Jesus if they see Christians hooked on the same drugs that enslave many others? Check out the lesson link, below.
Take Home Nugget
“Nah” Michael said. “I was just bored, and ended up messing around with the cancer sticks. The smoke doesn’t even taste good. Why do people waste money on what kills?”
Freedom doesn’t mean that you have to taste everything the world tempts.
J.D. Griffith
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