Generally speaking, we like our personal autonomy – the ability to direct the course of our life free from the demands of others. And certainly much of this is a reasonable expectation as a mark of maturity. And yet we are not our own. Our lives and very bodies have been bought in service of the Crown – God’s kingdom and the larger story he is telling.
As such, our life is not just about pursuing our own self-interest. In fact, we often have to sacrifice our personal comfort and preferences for the sake of others and a greater good.
Parents know this all too well. Time and personal space must be regularly given up to serve the needs of our kids. These are likely choices we wouldn’t naturally make, but because we’re not our own we give of ourselves all the same.
And this plays out also as we offer our gifts and abilities to our communities. We don’t do so to make a name for ourselves or to be praised publicly. Many of our sacrifices might actually go unnoticed and without thanks. But our labor remains our faithful service before God. We are not our own and we will work to please him even if no one else sees.
Likewise, when it comes to our marriage, finances, sexuality, and the like, we don’t get to call all the shots – doing whatever seems right in our own eyes. In every area of our lives we must submit to God’s rule for our life.
Of course, this doesn’t make us mere robots – deprived of any true freedom to make meaningful decisions. It simply reminds us that even our freedom remains in service of love and God’s kingdom of light.
To be sure, we’re prone to pride and selfish demands when we assume life is just about fulfilling our personal wishes.
Fully embrace the freedom you’ve been given. And remember you are not your own. Your life has been bought to serve a greater good.
Photo by Ali Pazani on Unsplash
