I just finished a book lent to me by a very close friend, and he was right…it changed my life. One of my favorite sections of WIDEOPENSPACES was when the author, Jim Palmer, talked about a “freedom filter”. Every Truth claim he hears he runs through this “freedom filter” and ask questions like, “will this truth bring freedom?” Just think about that, every comment, every television show, every movie, every song, etc. asking yourself if these things will bring freedom. It makes you go about your day differently, makes your thinking patterns change as well. I started using this way of thinking yesterday, and I had to tune out a lot of things that were thrown at me. I think back to those times when I should have chosen freedom, rather than bondage. It’s odd to me that so many people see following Christ as a prison, but how free are you when you are intoxicated night after night, or so jealous you can’t experience the blessings that have been put into your life? That isn’t freedom, that’s pain.
To live life by being in God, being in love, is the best way I know how. I’ve tried some other ways, but they all led to disappointment. I want to love people, not just say, “I’ll pray for you” or “Your family is in my prayers”, but really love people. I’m not saying prayer isn’t amazing because it certainly is, and it works too, but Christ didn’t just pray to the Father, he actually did things to show his love. Starting a conversation with a stranger, or just smiling at someone to show I acknowledge their existence can be love. Palmer ends his book by talking about how the world would be if love governed it, “Every system of control instituted by man since the beginning of time wouldn’t be necessary. Everyone’s behaviors and attitudes would be governed by love”. That sounds like a pretty amazing world to me, the one Jesus described as ”on earth, as it is in heaven”. We could be living in Heaven right now if our perception turned to love, I want to do that.
