The Perfect Law of Liberty!

“Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don’t act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like.
But whoever catches a glimpse of the revealed counsel of God—the free life!—even out of the corner of his eye, and sticks with it, is no distracted scatterbrain but a man or woman of action. That person will find delight and affirmation in the action.
Anyone who sets himself up as “religious” by talking a good game is self-deceived. This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air. Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world. James 1: 22-27 (MSG)

Since the days when western governments begin to identify themselves with the Christian faith, many peoples have suffered under the hands of those who had not been made perfect in love! Not fully understanding the word of God they confused conquering lands and peoples with the intent to convert them to Christianity.

When I read the accounts of explorers such as Christopher Columbus who sent back accounts of finding those who he named “Indians”, it is painful to think of what happened to the peoples who suffered for many generations after, because he saw that they had a need to be converted!

Man, and his institutions are not perfect. The United States of America – still I believe the beacon of light to those who ascribe to freedom, has a history that holds many dark and dreadful moments. The accoount of holding Africans captive for nearly four hundred years is well known, but many other groups of people also suffered discrimination and degradation, especially the Native Americans who dwelt in this land before Europeans came.

We can get stuck over the wrongs our nation has performed on various groups, or, we can look at the many ways all peoples who have come to this country have been blessed to find a new life of freedom and prosperity for their families.

It’s like looking at that mirror – are we going to see our life redeemed – made new – and run with that, or are we going to look at our past and remain stuck? Are we going to take even a glimpse of what God has done and realize that we are Christians not in name only, but we have been redeemed to offer the true message of redemption – true religion, undefiled, that will not enslave, or put in bondage, or discriminate, but will set the captive free to be all that God meant them to be. This is the perfect law of liberty!

God Bless You,
Maria