September 14

How can we be free when we have built our own prisons?

I am faced, lately, with a prison made up of my own actions. The things I have done, some of them little and some of them not so little, have come together to show me my worst. I have made some awful mistakes. I have been selfish at times and let down the people who have counted on me.

We cannot have a society without responsibility. Yet we cannot have a society without redemption, either. It is a basic Christian concept that no one is worthy, not even one. And that's true. No matter how good you think you are, at some point, you will have realizations that cut you to the bone because you know it represents the worst of you and you know it is true.

But it is also a basic Christian concept that each person is fearfully and wonderfully made in the Creator's image. No matter how bad you think you are, at some point, you will have the realization that you have done something wonderful. Yet, how many time have you rejoiced over your accomplishments and triumphs?

Freedom lies in combination of responsibility and redemption. And redemption is ours, if we avail ourselves of it. It's all up to us, regardless of whether or not we are Christian. If you are Christian, then it is accepting the forgiveness of a loving God, no strings attached. No groveling. No crawling along the ground. No self-flagellation.

If you are not Christian, then it's a change of perspective. It's a change of the way you perceive yourself. Freedom is not attained by ignoring your infirmities. It is attained by understanding that you are not the sum of your failures. It is attained by starting to understand your power and your ability to do good things that will transcend yourself and transform others.