Don’t Give It Away

Mark Tidsworth, Pinnacle President

So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:36

For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1

I’m vacation this week, grateful for the opportunity to step away for a while. This year, my vacation includes stepping away from social media. What’s it been like so far? RELIEF. Through stepping away, I’m more aware of the constant pressure of social media designed to elicit strong reactions from participants. In particular, contempt is a central theme at this point in time, since our culture is addicted to that particular corrosive emotionally-charged attitude. The relief I’m experiencing is the welcome absence of the unrelenting pressure calling us to negative interactions and contemptuous posts.

So right about now is a good time to reinforce the awareness that we don’t have to submit ourselves to social media pressure to live in lesser ways. In fact, we don’t have to submit to anyone’s pressure to live as lesser people, whether they are on social media or not. When Christ Jesus sets us free, we are completely free. So no more giving away our freedom to choose a better way, no more allowing others to push our buttons, and no more trading our God-given freedom for a bowl of stew. To that end, perhaps the following simple reading will help (though I first posted it on Facebook!). May we receive and integrate the exceptional freedom we have in Jesus Christ, never giving it away to those who would use our reactions for their own ends.

No one can.

No one can make us what we are not.
No one can make us upset.
No one can make us their enemy.
No one can make us rage.

No one can ruin our day.
No one can do any of these things without our consent.
No one can drive our reactions unless we give permission.
We are in charge of ourselves.
Under the Lordship of Christ, we are in charge of ourselves.
Don't give away self-responsibility, self-control, or freedom.
Thanks be to God, we are in charge of ourselves.