Jonathots Daily Blog
(1997)
“We’re all believers.”
Those words were spoken to me last night by four souls who had come out to hear our concert from surrounding towns. They went on to lament that the confusion of religion, the inflexibility of faith-based individuals and the entrenched nature of traditionalism is leaving us without a path to find communion with one another.
In my early years, I did some work in prisons. After one of my presentations, a guy in his early twenties came up to me and asked for a moment of my time. He explained that he was in jail because he had stolen a car. Since arriving, he had repented and was trying to educate himself. He said he had four more years inside, and that the greatest gift he had received since arriving was the extra privilege of being able to go to the lounge and watch television one extra hour a day.
You know what struck me? Here was a gentleman who was free of the guilt and pain of his childish error–but was still trapped because he was in prison.
If church is not making us free of self-imprisonment, insecurity and frustration, then just to have more privileges–even if one of them is salvation–does not remove the bars and take away the guards.
Jesus promised me that I could be “free indeed.” What does that mean?
It means that even though people have a testimony and a religious conviction, they can still suffer from four terrifying evils that lurk at the corners of their souls:
- I’m afraid of failing.
- I demand praise.
- I’m trying to fit in.
- I need to be wanted.
Facts are, you will never be free as long as you’re afraid of the powerful gift of failure. It is a gift because it eliminates useless choices that will hinder our ultimate victory.
In like manner, it is difficult to gain independence as long as you’re stomping about or peeking around the corner looking for praise.
Likewise, if you feel the need to fit in, you will find that you constantly need to trim the corners of your life because some new trend will require you to be different.
And finally, the best way to be wanted is by taking care of somebody else’s need instead of your own.
I believe in spirituality and a lifestyle brought by Jesus. That kind of lifestyle creates a confidence that says:
- I welcome the ups and downs–I look at it as emotional exercise.
- I love the work–if you praise me for it, it’s just gravy. I’ve already got my mashed potatoes.
- I am supplied. I don’t need you to tell me what’s currently “in vogue” or what you deem old-fashioned.
- I bring something. I never arrive anticipating to eat off the communal buffet without contributing to the spread.
If what those four people said last night is true–that we’re all believers–then let’s start believing in being “free indeed.”
Free indeed happens when we realize that the kingdom of God is within us … and any time we crawl on our knees to find it we create distance from our own solution.
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Jonathots Daily Blog 