Free to be Freed

She had always been a 'complainer'; well-known for her dissatisfaction with everything and everyone. And she would always try to 'sorok' away the food meant to be eaten there and then. The 'regulars' who come for the free meals know our rules. You want to eat, please sit down and eat. No choosing this or that piece of chicken; you eat what is given, too bad if you don't like chicken wings. No second helpings until everyone gets their first plate. You want to smoke, please do it beyond the food and medical areas. No fighting or quarreling allowed. You can be drunk but don't be unruly, if you are,  you will be asked to leave. You don't like our rules, don't come. As a matter of precaution, we have a few 'toughies' around to 'escort' out people who cause trouble. Rarely will that happen.

That Saturday was one of those rare occasions. The 'complainer' asked for a cover for the plastic container of chicken rice handed out to her. It was clear she wanted to 'ta pau'. She was reminded the food was meant to be eaten, not packed.  She threw a tantrum and started cursing, 'What kind of Christians...' and other unmentionables. She was causing a ruckus. When told to desist, she threw the food down, scattering it all over the ground. That was the last straw - our guy physically removed her from the place.  Just where do we draw the line between acceptable and unacceptable behavior?? When does freedom to do whatever we like stop? As far as we are concerned, she broke our rules, so out she goes. But isn't she entitled to stay put and castigate Christians for being so ungracious to a poor homeless creature like her? We serve food to everyone who comes. But the freedom to do what they want with the food is dependent on their being responsible enough to know and abide by the limits applicable to everyone who chooses to come and eat. That's how law works.

Besides let's not kid ourselves; despite all the humanistic ideals and ideas of  freedom, there really is no such thing as unlimited freedom in this world. It's only a matter of where the boundaries are drawn, in our personal lives, in the society we are part of and in the laws of the land we are citizens of. We may not like the 'fetters' imposed upon us. But the fact remains boundaries are necessary. There is a law which demands that You shall not kill for obvious reason, no matter how 'free' you are to hate someone. Pope John Paul II says it well..."Freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought".

Lest we forget, freedom was actually God's idea, not man's. He could so easily have stopped Adam and Eve from eating the forbidden fruit. He didn't, despite knowing the horrendous consequences of allowing them to go ahead to rebel against His orders. Jesus had every right and capability to overthrow the tyrannical government of His day; He didn't; heck, He didn't even set up an alternative political party of His own and go around canvassing for votes. Instead He calmly advised, "Give back to Caesar's what is Caesar's and to God what is God's" (Mark 12:17).  God could have 'programmed' everyone to believe in Him. He didn't. The only thing He did was to spell out the consequences of choice, so no one can ever say "I didn't know God is like that."  He has drawn the boundaries, as much as we draw up the rules for our street-work. We may not like His terms but we can never excuse ourselves with "I didn't know", or fault God that "You didn't tell me."

For it's never about not knowing, but always about choice - whether we will or will not do what we ought. That's the difference between true and false freedom. We can shout all we want about being free to do what we like, but that's not freedom; that's just a petulant child wanting his sweets. But the child who chooses not to eat those sweets (even though he is allowed to) because he knows it's not good for his teeth is truly free. Wisdom, not self-satisfaction, is the basis of real freedom

We can so so easily delude ourselves into thinking we are free when actually we are so bound up in, of and by our own desires. Jesus was never more free than when He chose to keep quiet before the humans who accused and judged Him. He didn't fight back, He didn't assert His rights, He didn't pulverize the whole lot of humankind who rejected Him (then and now). Instead He laid down His life so that every human being might be saved to experience the perfect freedom. God would not have it done any other way. We obsess so much about this or that freedom but fail to recognize that the highest most precious freedom of all is not the practice of religion, or the exercise of self-expression, or the defense of so-called inalienable rights, but the certain knowledge of the soul's salvation - made possible by the One who willingly gave up His freedom.

The woman came back after a couple of weeks' absence. She is still complaining. We are still serving her. Our rules still stand. I like to think she knows anytime every time she decides to, she is free to return and be fed again without any fear of recrimination or discrimination, as long as she is willing to come on our terms. That's how God does it too, all He requires is a heart willing to love and be loved by Him. We have only chicken curry rice to feed the folks who choose to come to us. But when we choose to come to God, He lays out such a fantastic banquet for us to feast on, one which is literally out of this world.

It's so sad, that many would settle for so much less, content with just getting one's own way, and passing up the chance of a lifetime to be truly free following God's way. Howbeit we fail to appreciate we are most free when we choose to be bound by and in the love of God which saves us to the uttermost for all eternity. 


"Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it" - Luke 17:33