JR. Forasteros - June 9, 2013
Four Soils of the Soul
Jesus describes the Kingdom of God in parables to invite us to take a closer look at how radically God changes our lives. In this first parable, Jesus compares himself to a farmer extravagantly sowing seed, and we who hear his good news to various kinds of soil. His story begs the question: what am I doing to cultivate the soil of my life?
From Series: "Seeds of the Kingdom"
Jesus spoke in parables to invite us to consider the surprising challenge and offer of his new life more fully. In June, we look at four parables were Jesus talks about the Kingdom as a seed. What is this small, seemingly insignificant Kingdom? And what sort of new life will it grow into? Join us as we explore the seeds of the kingdom!
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I’m not sure there’s a higher American value than personal freedom. Nearly any conversation in civil discourse, from gun control to economic policies to public speech and religion often end up coming back to this “Don’t Tread on Me” mentality that fed the American Revolution.
“Don’t Tread On Me”… We want to be selves without limits. We want no boundaries, no borders, no limitations. We want to be free, unboxed, uncaged, unrestrained.
We recognize that purely unrestrained freedom isn’t realistic.
I remember learning in elementary school that ‘freedom of speech’ doesn’t mean we can, for instance, shout ‘Fire’ in a crowded movie theater. When our freedom of expression puts others in harm’s way, it becomes toxic to a society.
Similarly, in our relationships we recognize constraints. Our marriage vows bind us, reduce our freedoms (which is why the more cynical among us call marriage a ‘ball and chain’ – an image from prison). We identify friends who take and take and take and never contribute to the other person’s good a toxic friend. Having children involves a complete overhaul of priorities and involves the loss of many freedoms – including the freedom to sleep whenever you want.
And yet we recognize these relationships as good – good for us and good for the world.
Maybe freedom isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
Maybe it’s a good, but no the highest good. If that’s true, it could change how we engage in conversations over personal freedoms.
Let’s explore in a bit more depth our desire for freedom and what’s behind it. We’ll see that a quest for freedom can become a kind of idolatry (and we’re not the first people to fall for it).
