Independence?

Today our country is celebrating Independence Day. It has been 233 years since the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Continental Congress.
Many of us have learned or at least remember the famous words found in the early part of the Declaration...
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
This sentence is the underpinning of much of what we have fought for over the last two centuries. They have served as the battle cry of those who fought for civil rights. They have been stated by those who argue for the Judeo-Christian foundations of our nation. They have fueled a philosophy that has helped the United States become a beacon of freedom for the world.
But at the same time, it has been distorted by those who want to do what they want to do. Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness has become a reason to become too individualistic. For many, this idea of the pursuit of happiness means that I can have what I want. It gives me the right to demand my rights. My, how we have so missed the point.
Maybe we should look at the closing sentence of the Declaration of Independence. Here is the last sentence before the signature of John Hancock...
"And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor."
There is a crucial lesson in this important sentence that concludes the Declaration. Freedom does not mean I have the right to demand what I want. Rather, it gives us the freedom to work together as a community to work for the best interests of everyone. It means that I am willing to sacrifice my individual desires so that my passions can become part of a greater effort, something bigger than me.
Imagine if we approached our citizenship as Americans, and our citizenship as citizens of the Kingdom of God, in this way. How much different would the United States look if we would use our talents and abilities to improve our nation before filling our own selfish desires? How much different would many churches look if we would really practiced the words of Jesus from Mark 8:34-35 which say the following:
If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.
Our nation is built on the idea of freedom. But it is a freedom that comes with responsibility. It calls for sacrifice that allows us to pursue our passions in the context of a community which seeks the greater good.
The church is built on the same premise. We are not saved from our sins primarily for our own personal salvation. Rather, we are set free from the bondage of sin to discover our unique role in the family known as the body of Christ.

shine!
Jason