One Small Seed Newsletter – Edition #231, May 2020
Greetings from America, land of the free and home of the brave: I’m beginning to understand better what these words mean and that only part of the statement may be true. Let’s look at the nature of true freedom. Many people feel free, yet carry a boxcar load of burdens. This applies to Christians as well as everyone else.
The Nature of True Freedom in Everyday Life
We had a house built in 1972 because we were free to do so, but since then, it has cost us thousands of dollars for insurance and taxes—not counting upgrades and maintenance. We were free to make improvements, but the ongoing costs were not freedom.
Today, I sit in my den writing with a light on and the heat running because it’s fifty degrees outside, but these comforts aren’t free, and I’m not free. A coronavirus has hit the land, affecting everyone, and because of my age, I’m advised to stay home. At seventy-five, I look back on my life and ponder the meaning of freedom.
The Nature of True Freedom in a Life of Service
From birth to eighteen, I bowed to my parents’ will. At eighteen, I joined the military, spending three years bowing to my superiors. Thirty-one months in Germany on an Army Post felt like imprisonment.
After the Army, I married my wonderful wife and spent fifty-three years bowing to my marriage vows. I worked thirteen years for an employer, bowing to the demands of my job, then spent twenty-eight years as an employer, bowing to clients, suppliers, employees, and family obligations.
Now, I bow to the physical struggles of aging. But through it all, I have not been a slave—I have been a servant, bowing to the will of God. To me, “land of the free” means being free to serve willingly.
The Nature of True Freedom in Faith and Courage
With thanksgiving, I have served all my life, including my enemies, family, and friends. I rejoice in God’s gifts and the lessons He has taught me. He showed me that bravery is waking each morning with hope and faith. Faith is trusting God to guide life’s circumstances, knowing that His will prevails.
He taught me to love the Lord with all my spirit, soul, and mind, and to love my neighbor as myself. He taught me to draw near to Him and resist evil. God is not only a comforter—He is a leader and teacher.
Today, we are getting a taste of what much of the world endures daily. This is a lesson we must learn and live by.
The Nature of True Freedom in America’s Future
I have been a skeptic most of my life, but not in a negative way. I’m not a fan of Hollywood or secretive conversations. I struggle to hear whispers, read lips, or understand fast talkers, so I often miss the punchline. But I do know a little about history and human nature, and that knowledge helps me judge the direction of events.
When our country sold its precious metals, outsourced businesses, and gave away technical knowledge at our expense, I warned: Beware! We once led the world, but now we are dependent. We are becoming servants to evil and ungodly minds, nearing the downfall of great nations before us.
Our only salvation is trusting God, following His guidance, and defending the Constitution with our lives. Jesus said the only way in is through the door—any other way is the path of thieves and robbers. Those who enable lawlessness betray what is right. May God bless and guide us all.
Your friend in Christ,
Rodney Roberts