Free To Be Me - Age
Scripture Reading - 1 Corinthians 13:11 Murdock
When I was a child, I talked as a child, and I reasoned as a child, and I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I laid aside the things of childhood.
In the world there is always a geological comparison made between people. In other words people of the same community will compare every person of that community with the “so-called” norm. Thus, the norm is acceptable while the abnormal is not. The problem is who defines what the norm is and does such a defined norm exist for all the people of that community? This comparison usually involves at least seven different issues (characteristics and/or topics), age, career, gender, morality, religion, ethnicity and income. So the people with similar characteristics will always be drawn to a closer relationship then those who think, act and sometimes look differently than them. This week we will briefly discuss how the characteristic of “age” relates to our freedom in Christ Jesus. As we all know all those who are born of flesh and blood start out as infants. During the infant stage of your life the people surrounding you expect you to be very ignorant of doing what is right or wrong. Typically, infants sleep a lot, cry a lot and eat a lot. Life is pretty straight-forward for an infant because their whole world revolves around their comfort and security. No person in their right mind will expect much positive team-building production from an infant. This same concept carries through to toddlers because you are still learning your surroundings. At these two stages you have “complete freedom to be yourself” because that is all you can be at the age of 0 to 2 years old. However, generally speaking once you become a little older say 2 to 5 years old. Good parents will teach you basic things with the expectation of your learning increasing for better understanding and your behavior changing toward being a good little child. Although you are still “very free to be you” there will be some restrictions on your freedom when it invades the privacy of another. As you become older and grow into a full-time student “you are still free in Christ” to be the best student you can be while normal growth and development takes place outside of school. We (ihlcc) can only hope that your parents model “the freedom you have in Christ” and give you freedom to learn yourself and others around you while you are also learning more about God. Once a student reaches high school the peer pressure will be greater to follow the crowd into doing whatever everyone else is doing but know with all confidence, dear Child of God, “you have complete freedom in Christ to be you” without shame or reservation. I wish that peer pressure subsided once high-school is over but this same peer pressure will persist for the rest of your life while you are on this earth. Whether college or on your job or playing sports the crowd will always what you to be like them. This is where your faith in Christ will be (oh yes, shall be) tested, tempted and tried by fire. People, don’t always like those that are different but God created you just the way you are. Yes, you are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14) so rejoice in the fact that God made all finger prints different, so your specific personality may be different from those around you. When considering your options know that uniqueness in God can often glorify His awesome work within you. If the choice to be popular interferes with your obedience to live right before God and men, you know the right decision to make. However, don’t make the common mistake of making this decision every time it becomes necessary in the midst of the temptation but rather make it once before God in the Name of Jesus and live it outwardly before man. You are one of a kind in Christ physically and spiritually, God created you, you are not factory made in a mold. Yes, dear beloved saint, “you have the complete freedom to be you” both in Christ spiritually and in the world physically. Remember, when people say someone should act their age, they are really saying the older you become the more maturity they (the people of your community) are expecting to see in you. However, your freedom and maturity are rolled up together in Christ so let no man judge you or try to condemn you because you understand that “God is your freedom to be you”. Remember, “Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty!”-2 Corinthians 3:17 “Be Free in Him.” Amen!