Without doing a thing on my own, I was born into a country that consists of 5% of the world’s population but that produces and consumes 25% of the world’s economy. Within such a bountiful country, and under no effort on my part, I was born into a family of educated parents, who were middle class. I did not choose to be born white, heterosexual, able-bodied and male. Because of my physical attributes and family background, I have rarely had to think about the lived experiences of others not like me, because most of my experiences in life and in my home country were geared towards people who were very similar to me and my family.
Thus, I often never thought of how rare it might be for someone to have so much freedom to choose the kinds of things I get to choose in regards to use of my time, resources, friendships, work, neighborhood, etc. Certainly, many people in my family and my country have died and fought and built what I am benefiting from today and I cannot forget such sacrifices, nor do I take those sacrifices lightly. On this day of freedom, I celebrate the freedom to vote, to work, to pay taxes for public services, to worship and practice my religion, and to be able to live where I do, and to work for a great organization in a beautiful city. Indeed, I wish every person in the world had the opportunities I have been given.
To that end, I am dwelling today on the Biblical mandate found in Luke 12:48 – “to whom much is given, much is required.” What does my freedom and my country’s freedom mean: For children and women trapped in human bondage for sex or labor? For refugees fleeing oppressive governments or dangerous warlords or majority cultures that significantly discriminate them for being minorities in culture, religion, or ethnicity? For child brides or for children of parents working in the rock quarries/dangerous mineral mines, who have no other choice beyond a short life of hard labor? For physically or mentally disabled people who don’t have loving care givers, or for those loving care givers whose lives are forever confined to caring for their loved ones? For people unable to get good healthcare or a decent education, a good-paying job, or a home to live in? For those in prison, especially those who are innocent of the crimes for which they have been convicted?
On this day, I contemplate anew the abundance of freedom I am blessed with and I ask myself what can I do to use such freedoms to improve the lives of suffering people – from Dhaka, Bangladesh to Baghdad, Iraq and to Istanbul, Turkey, from southern Sudan to Southeast DC, from Mexico to Manila, and from the poorest communities of San Diego to those living in the slums of Sao Paulo? What can I do to provide more freedom to women whose bodies are daily abused, to those whose lives are never given a chance to live due to the abundant availability of abortion, and to those whose minds and bodies are completely addicted to drugs, alcohol or pornography? And, what can I do to help those so gripped by fear of the “unknown” or the “other” and so trapped by disgust, perhaps blinded by their own privileges and unaware of our country’s cultural selfishness, that their freedom to love, to learn from others, and to show compassion is severely limited? What can I do to help bring freedom there?
This fourth of July I celebrate freedom and I pray that my life, family, church, work, community, country, and friends around the world challenge one another to use our freedoms and blessings to bring freedom and blessings to the most abused and most vulnerable people in our communities, and across the globe.
Many of us have been given much.
On this day of freedom, what might we “sacrifice” so that others can gain some of the freedoms we enjoy?
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Thus, I often never thought of how rare it might be for someone to have so much freedom to choose the kinds of things I get to choose in regards to use of my time, resources, friendships, work, neighborhood, etc. Certainly, many people in my family and my country have died and fought and built what I am benefiting from today and I cannot forget such sacrifices, nor do I take those sacrifices lightly. On this day of freedom, I celebrate the freedom to vote, to work, to pay taxes for public services, to worship and practice my religion, and to be able to live where I do, and to work for a great organization in a beautiful city. Indeed, I wish every person in the world had the opportunities I have been given.
To that end, I am dwelling today on the Biblical mandate found in Luke 12:48 – “to whom much is given, much is required.” What does my freedom and my country’s freedom mean: For children and women trapped in human bondage for sex or labor? For refugees fleeing oppressive governments or dangerous warlords or majority cultures that significantly discriminate them for being minorities in culture, religion, or ethnicity? For child brides or for children of parents working in the rock quarries/dangerous mineral mines, who have no other choice beyond a short life of hard labor? For physically or mentally disabled people who don’t have loving care givers, or for those loving care givers whose lives are forever confined to caring for their loved ones? For people unable to get good healthcare or a decent education, a good-paying job, or a home to live in? For those in prison, especially those who are innocent of the crimes for which they have been convicted?
On this day, I contemplate anew the abundance of freedom I am blessed with and I ask myself what can I do to use such freedoms to improve the lives of suffering people – from Dhaka, Bangladesh to Baghdad, Iraq and to Istanbul, Turkey, from southern Sudan to Southeast DC, from Mexico to Manila, and from the poorest communities of San Diego to those living in the slums of Sao Paulo? What can I do to provide more freedom to women whose bodies are daily abused, to those whose lives are never given a chance to live due to the abundant availability of abortion, and to those whose minds and bodies are completely addicted to drugs, alcohol or pornography? And, what can I do to help those so gripped by fear of the “unknown” or the “other” and so trapped by disgust, perhaps blinded by their own privileges and unaware of our country’s cultural selfishness, that their freedom to love, to learn from others, and to show compassion is severely limited? What can I do to help bring freedom there?
This fourth of July I celebrate freedom and I pray that my life, family, church, work, community, country, and friends around the world challenge one another to use our freedoms and blessings to bring freedom and blessings to the most abused and most vulnerable people in our communities, and across the globe.
Many of us have been given much.
On this day of freedom, what might we “sacrifice” so that others can gain some of the freedoms we enjoy?
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