The Gift and Responsibility of Freedom: Embracing Choices in Life
Not much was known about the situation—he simply fell and needed help. Quickly, his siblings, who lived nearby, surrounded him, and he was promptly cared for at the nearby hospital. He is now older, slower, and less stable than in his younger years. His hearing is weaker, and his responses are slower. But like all of us, the old preacher, in his simple way, longed for the independence and freedom that were slowly slipping away with age.
With Freedom Comes Responsibility
He could hardly walk and struggled to express his thoughts. However, he could hear just fine and still had the ability to move with the best of them for his age. Learning came easily to him, as he was a bright and happy sponge, eager to absorb the world around him. As a young toddler, he seemed not only full of energy but also extremely inquisitive about everything going on around him.
With Freedom Comes Responsibility
We often take our freedom to move about and live our lives as we wish for granted. When we are very young, we do not yet understand what we should and shouldn’t do. When we’re crawling around, we don’t realize that some things are hot and dangerous, while others are sweet and tender. As we age, we begin to face challenges that make it harder to perform everyday tasks we once did with ease, like walking across the room without help or dressing ourselves.
As children, we fight for our freedom to go and do things. Yet, as we grow older, we struggle as the freedoms we once had begin to slip out of our control. Freedom is a gift—one that allows us to make our own choices, which, in many cases, impact our lives forever. A prime example is the freedom to have children. As young married adults, we may choose to have children, and from the moment they are conceived, they will influence our lives in ways that last for eternity.
Freedom and Responsibility in the Bible
In 1 Corinthians 6:12, it is written, “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything.” This passage reminds us that while we have the freedom to make choices, we must be cautious and thoughtful in how we use our freedom. We must seek wisdom through prayer, whether our decisions are small or large. Never forget that God desires for us to be “wise as serpents and harmless as doves.”