Every July we celebrate the independence of our country from foreign and oppressive rule. We celebrate that we as American citizens are free to worship as we please, and to govern ourselves. This year, as we celebrate, I think it’s important to recognize a few things.
There are many ways a person can be bound, chained, oppressed — while the celebration of independence is important — not everyone is as free as their neighbor. Some bonds of oppression involve choices that people have made, and many others are bonds that were inherited or a choice another person made for them. Some are a mixture of the two. These bonds include poverty, addiction, mental illness, citizenship status, and racism. So the question of freedom becomes who is truly free and how do we work towards freedom for those that are oppressed?
One might ask why does it matter? Well, I hope the answer is obvious for all followers of Jesus. Jesus said he came to “proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free” (Luke 4:18).
So the question remains as followers of Jesus, how are we are to be the instruments of God’s love in this world? Jesus said to love as he loved and to be active in healing and setting people free from oppression.
Are we learning how to be anti-racists? Are we advocates for mental health? Are we investing in places of generational poverty to help break that cycle? Are we examining our own habits to see where we inadvertently created a system needing illegal immigrants to work so our
groceries are affordable? Where is Jesus calling you to be involved in his great movement towards freedom?
Finally, we know that in all things, our independence is not true independence, but the chance to declare ourselves fully dependent on God. Jesus came so we all might have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10). As we grow in our dependence on God, we can grow in our work towards abundant life for us and for our neighbor.
This year, as we celebrate independence on the Fourth of July, may we also take some time to reflect and then take action towards loosening the bonds of oppression we see around us.
Blessings and Peace,
Katherine