“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves

be burdened again by a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1, NIV).

     I took some time over the weekend to ponder America’s Independence Day. Like many around the country, my family gathered for a picnic and a home spun fireworks display. Fortunately, no one was injured with the exception of a chair that caught fire because of a stray bottle rocket.

     I enjoy the Fourth of July’s festivities. Yet in recent years, I have become more cognizant of the sacrifices made by our forefathers and foremothers to ensure our democracy. As the saying goes, freedom is not free. Someone had to pay the price.

     However, freedom is not absolute either. The freedoms granted by our ancestors do not exempt any of us from bearing the responsibility of our actions. Freedom and accountability are not exclusive to one another.

     The same principle holds true of the Christian faith. Paul reminded the churches in Galatia that Christ has set us free, not to do whatever we want, but to choose the things God wants us to do. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus acknowledged God’s will to be supreme in his life. We also have been liberated for the purpose of pursuing God’s will rather than our own, not out of a sense of compulsion, but of love.

     Screenwriter, Monica Johnson, claims, “True love does not only encompass the things that make you feel good it also holds you to a standard of accountability. For example, I continually update my wife as to my whereabouts. I do so, not because she insists, but because I care enough about her not to cause her any concern. Though I am free to do whatever I like, love convinces me to do what is best for others.