Our freedom to be a slave ...

This past week we, as a nation, have used one of the basic freedoms of our nation -- to elect persons to our local and national government. This is but a part of human freedom that we are designed to have.

Another freedom that for me that is crucially important is to be what some people consider quite odd for freedom -- to freely choose to be a servant, or in more serious biblical language to be a slave. Jesus even referred to himself as a slave. As Paul writes of him,"he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness ..." (Philippians 2:7). It is almost unreal for me to imagine the everlasting divine Son of God choosing to become human so that through him all between me (us) and God would be set right. But such occurred.

With this in mind the apostle Paul writes,

"For freedom Christ has set us free.

Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery ...

For you were called to freedom brothers and sisters;

only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence,

but through love become slaves of one another.

For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment,

'You should love your neighbor as yourself.'

(Galatians 5:1, 13-14).

Today I will seek to do so, and I invite you to as well.