Every year on the Fourth of July, we pause to celebrate the freedoms we enjoy as citizens of this country. We gather with family to watch fireworks, share meals, and give thanks for the opportunities that come with living in a free society.
But freedom can mean different things to different people. This quote from Presbyterian pastor Peter Marshall, an immigrant to this nation who served as Chaplain of the Senate from 1947 until his death in 1949, reminds us of a deeper understanding of freedom: “May we think of freedom, not as the right to do as we please, but as the opportunity to do what is right.”
As Christians, we find that understanding resonates strongly with our faith. Jesus spoke often about freedom… not freedom from responsibility, but freedom for love… freedom from fear… freedom from hatred… freedom from the endless need to put ourselves first. The Apostle Paul wrote, “Do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another” (Galatians 5.13).
In other words, freedom isn’t just about what we can do; it’s also about who we choose to be. In a culture that often celebrates individual rights, the gospel invites us to remember our connection to one another. Something many seem to have forgotten in recent years as our nation has become more insular. My well-being is tied to yours. Our well-being as a nation is tied to the well-being of every other nation.
Our neighbors here and around the world matter. The stranger matters. The poor matter. The vulnerable matter. Immigrants matter. True justice and righteousness matter. Compassion matters. Not because God wants to limit our freedom, but because scripture teaches us that we are most free when we live as God created us to live…“loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and loving our neighbors as ourselves.”
As we celebrate our nation this weekend, let us also pray for it. Let us pray for leaders and citizens alike. Let us pray for healing where there is division, understanding where there is bitterness, and courage where there is injustice. Let us pray for a country where freedom is meant to be experienced not just by some, but by all. And let us pray for other nations, lands, and peoples. The skies there are just as blue as here. Their hopes and dreams are no more or less important than our own. The same light God shines on us shines on them. Their pursuit of happiness is just as worthy as our own.
May we use the freedom we have been given to do what is right instead of what is easy: to extend kindness to all, to seek God’s justice and righteousness, welcome others, and work for the common good of every nation, race, and land. And in doing so, may we become not the nation we like to think we are, but the nation we were truly meant to be…a nation of liberty and justice for all.
Have a safe and happy Fourth of July!