In 1939 a movie called Mr. Smith Goes to Washington was released. It starred James Stewart and Jean Arthur. The movie is about corrupt congressman and the green newbie, Jefferson Smith (Stewart), who attempts to change all that is un-American. Our country was different then. Before the Senate convened, they had an opening prayer. Stewart reads 1 Corinthians 13 as part of his filibuster. That which made the biggest impression on me, though, is the parallel between the liberty of our nation that Stewart references and the liberty we have, as followers of Christ.

A simple definition of liberty is the ability to do whatever we want. Our country is full of people who all wish to do as they like. The problem is that there is no love associated with this desire. Evan Hopkins, in his book The Law of Liberty in the Spiritual Life, uses the analogy of two concentric circles. The outer circle is dominated by our sense of right – our duty to do the right thing. The inner circle is dominated by the power of love. It is possible to be inside the outer circle (doing what is right) and yet not in the inner circle. In other words, we can do something right and have no love associated with it. It is impossible, though, to be inside the inner circle (power of love) and not be within the outer circle, as well. “So if we are ‘dwelling in love’ we shall know what it is to do the right for its own sake as well as from inclination.”

Our country was founded on the concepts of giving people the choice – the liberty – to do what they felt was right. It is something that is enforced. You can host a rally and say whatever you like. You can host a demonstration against someone else’s rally. You can go to whichever church you like. What cannot be enforced, though, is the concept of love. We cannot make people do what they would like to do under the auspices of love.

We are fortunate here. I was explaining to my kids that some countries do not enjoy such freedoms. I told Lizzy that some countries have an official church and that our church would be considered illegal there. She asked me about Ecuador, where I grew up. I told her that they also enjoy religious freedom. She talked about Abuelo’s [my father’s] church. She said this, “It would be sad if no one was allowed to go to the church where Abuelo preaches. What if everyone had to go to that church? What if people could go to any church they wanted, but they chose to go to his church? Of those options, I prefer the third one.” I smiled at her as I realized that she gets it.

She realizes that liberty is not something we deserve. She realizes that liberty is something that is conditional. She realizes that liberty is when people have options and choose to do the right thing because of love. True liberty must have love to be effective. In the aforementioned movie, it is appalling that a United States Senator would use his power for devious means. Today, the concept is hardly shocking, if not expected.

If we, as a country, could truly learn to love each other, most of the liberties people experience today would be different. Organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) would cease to exist. Rallies of hatred would cease to happen. It is a sad commentary to realize that many religious, especially Christian, groups would have to change as well.

If we are driven by love instead of liberty, we will see vast changes in what liberty (the ability to do whatever I want) means for us. We are called to be holy (1 Peter 1:15) which aligns us with the desires of God. When we delight in what God delights in, we will find our freedom in doing what He wants. This is also doing what we want. Do you smell what I am cooking? When our love for God is manifested in our life, we begin doing whatever we want to do. We are also doing whatever God wants us to do. They become one and the same. That, my friends, is true liberty.

Jefferson Smith (James Stewart) in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington says the following: “Liberty is too precious to get buried in books… Men ought to hold it up in front of them – every day of their lives…” He is absolutely correct. We should daily recognize our national liberty. I say we should also daily recognize our spiritual liberty – the freedom we have in Jesus. Let us focus on the love that drives said liberty. God has given us this love (Romans 5:5; 1 John 3:1). Focus on this love, not by straining and struggling, but by allowing God to take over your heart. Allow God to take over your being. Learn to delight in what He delights in (Psalm 37:3-4).

May love drive you to liberty.

-z

Tags: 1 peter, psalms, smith

This entry was posted by zac on Thursday, September 21st, 2006 at 7:48 am and is filed under Weekly Jib Jab. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.