One of the extraordinary things about the majestic elephant is that they have a large temporal lobe in their huge brains, therefore, they have exceptional memories. It is said that if you train an elephant when it is young by chaining it to a post, when it gets older and becomes an adult, even though it can break the chain because of its strength, it does not. It stays right in the place where it is told to, because memory recall tells them that they are restricted to that area. Other animals are trainable as well, for example the K-9 units of the police force train German Shepherds to be police officers. The younger they start, the more successful the training will be, since they learn by repetition and rewards for positive behavior. The most important aspect of the police dog training is obedience. Dogs as pets can also learn very well by repetition, commands, and rewards, of course the success may vary by breed. Our English Mastiff learned her territory very quickly by us walking the perimeter of our property with her, a few times a day for a few weeks. We do not have a physical or electric fence, yet she knows where her boundaries are.
There are some confinements meant to keep us in and some to keep us out. For instance, fences are built to keep our children safe when they are little and meant to keep strangers out. We would not allow our children to leave the yard due to our house being on a street that had quite a bit of traffic, on a small hill, that would obscure oncoming vehicles, until they were right on you. Therefore, the kids had to play in the back yard so they could always be seen by a parent out the back window, for their safety. This was not done as a punishment, though they thought the restrictions were not fair as they got older. We had quite a large area for them to ride their bicycles in, but they still wanted to venture out into the neighborhood. Most of the time, the rules were obeyed, but when they were not, there were consequences to their adverse actions, such as a spanking in those days, or a time out, as a part of the teaching process. Letting a child run free without limitations is reckless freedom, because they do not have the capacity to make sound decisions, and do not know yet how to handle freedom.
Once upon a time I had a little bird. I was about nine or ten years old. It was a small yellow budgie and I kept it in a cage, fed it, cared for it, indoors most of the time. I am not sure why on this particular day when I was outside, I took the bird cage out with me. Not thinking clearly or thinking as a child, I opened the cage to give the bird some water. When I did, seeing its chance of freedom, it flew out, however, it did not fly very far, and landed on the ground, because it was not used to flying after living in a cage all its life. At that moment is when the neighbor’s cat saw his opportunity and snatched my bird and ran away with it, with me of course hollering after it like a ban chi Indian. That was the end of cute Mr. Budgie. He did not realize that the cage was for his protection, and that his ‘bread was buttered’ daily and shelter was provided from the elements. In keeping with the bird stories, and in contrast to the latter, when I was around five or six years old, we had a colorful group of small birds who lived in a large cage that was built onto the end of our front wrap around porch. They were kept as outdoor pets, therefore, did not have the warm comforts of home, though the cage was big enough for them to fly around in. One year there was a huge freeze and though we had left the cage opened that night because my parents knew of the coming weather forecast, we found them all dead in the morning. Rigor mortis had already set in, because they did not fly away to a warmer environment, though they could have. In their minds, they were held captive by their cage.
We have two children who work at a prison in the state that we live in. They have many stories to tell, some heartwarming and some unbelievably incredible and horrifying. There are a multiplicity of things that go on in the prison, but one thing you can note, is that there are many who are second, third and possibly fourth time offenders. We might say from the outside looking in, that so often the story goes, that they do their time for the crime, possibly get out early for good behavior, but once they are out, weeks, months, or maybe a couple of years, they find themselves right back in the same predicament they were in before. Doing the same deeds and repeating the same cycle will of course hold the same punishment and consequences. The questions that could be posed are, “Are they just too ignorant to learn a new way of living? Are they content with their way of living? Do they know how to live a different way? Do they know what to do with freedom?”
It is said that if a child is fed, clothed, warm, has shelter and is loved, there is really no reason for that child to wander off or run away. It is when something adverse comes into their lives that they decide they want to run away. The same thing goes for those who commit suicide. It is not that there is no better way and that there is no solution to their problems, but they cannot see it happening for themselves. They cannot see the way out. Of course, some try harder than others, but the end is the same. When convicts get out of jail and go back to their former lifestyles, they may be going into greater despair then what they’re leaving. Spiritual depravity is everywhere, not just behind bars. When they go back to their homes that are filthy, or where there is no one who cares, no one at all to talk to or turn to, or the ones that are there are always fighting, bickering back and forth, and complaining, screaming, or having knockout drag outs, it is not a place of peace. It is hard to imagine, but in their minds, they perceive that they had more peace in the prison, than what they have as a free person. Though it was just a forced quite by guards and bars twenty-four hours a day, nonetheless, it was a semblance of peace.
Often prisoners who are released, get out of the prison, and cannot find a job because they are a felon, therefore, they cannot make money to feed themselves. They often become homeless, living on the streets. They begin to think back to the time when they had three squares and a cot, they were warm in the winter, and cool in the summer, had company to talk to, a library to go to, and television time. They will do something illegal, and blatantly commit another crime just to be able to go back into captivity because they do not know how to handle freedom. When you have freedom, it means you can walk away from this situation that is confronting you, for instance the anger, the fighting, the cursing, but they do not realize this concept. They are free physically, but have not embraced it mentally, emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually.
Someone that is free has a choice of any job they want to apply for. If you are not able to get a corporate job because of prior felonies or issues, you have the freedom to do community service, do yard work, odd jobs for people, or many things that will not require you to give up your personal information. Freedom is the ability to go back to school and further your education. Once you gain some work experience and have education, you are more apt to be hired in the job that you desire. This holds true for all of us who have or have not had past failures. However, this is a choice you make just as you can make the decision to commit another crime and once again lose your freedom. We have freedom of speech and choice in our country, but many do not know how to handle these freedoms.
The scripture admonishes us in our spiritual walk with the Lord, seen in Galatians 5:1,13 and 14, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” This analogy is correlating the physical with our spiritual lives. Just because we have the freedom, occasion, and ability to commit a crime or return to sin, should we? This would not be a good decision, because there will always be consequences to our actions, which will affect not only yourself, but everyone around you. In 1 Corinthians 10:23 Paul says, “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.”
Have you ever read a book about, or seen a movie about a person who is wanting a do-over? In trying to change their history, the problem is that if one event is changed, everything else going forward changes also. For instance, if you didn’t get married to the man that you did marry, then you would not have the kids that you have today. You may be married to someone else and have kids, but they would not be the same. You then might not live at the same place, which would also make all the subsequent events different also. They may not all be bad, but they will be different. These persons want to change history, because they are not happy or content with their lives. They may not be in a physical prison, but they may have invisible chains on their hearts and minds. This spiritual bondage must be broken, just as a physical crime must be paid for, behind bars before the offender can be free once again. When you leave a physical prison, you must tell yourself and keep in mind, that your debt has been paid. You no longer owe society for that crime that you committed, and just paid time for. You are free physically and must allow yourself to be free emotionally, mentally, and spiritually because you did the crime and paid in time. The price of our spiritual freedom has already been paid for by Jesus on the cross of calvary. We obtain this spiritual freedom by the power of the Holy Ghost that sets us free. John 8:36 states, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”
Jesus wants us to be free, however, the key is being able to accept the gift that is being offered to us. We would not go to our own birthday party, carrying cash to bid on presents that people have brought us. We don’t bid on the presents we can afford and pay for, or on those who will accept our offer for their gift. The definition of the word gift is, ‘it is something that has been bought for you and will be yours at no cost to you’. This is what scripture tells us in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” In Acts 2:38, “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” In Romans 5:17-18, “For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. Therefore, as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.” In James 1:17, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”
There is no reason for us to continue going back and trying to pay for the same debt again and again. After all, you would not go into a store, purchase something and leave only to turn around, go back into the store and pay for the same item again. The words of Jesus on the cross in John 19:30 were, “It is finished.” We must move forward and seek to do good, living the life that we were created to live. The power of God can break the chains that we have holding us hostage. Many who are held in bondage to addictions and have lived most of their lives in and out of rehabilitation centers, never achieving their goal of freedom from the bondage of addictions, need the power of God. Oft times they struggle because it has become their identity. They do not know how to handle freedom. They would not know who they are if they were free. The ‘good news’ of the Gospel is that the Holy Ghost can make them a new creature in Christ Jesus, and baptism in Jesus’ name will give them a new identity. There are those who would rather remain in bondage with vagabonds as their bedfellows than have freedom and be alone. However, with the Lord, you gain a new life and a new family. Ephesians 4:1-6 states, “With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God, and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” Colossians 3:15 says, “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.” Jesus said in Mark 3:35, “For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.”
Another word for the gift of God that we receive for salvation, freedom, family, and hope, is Grace. This is a gift. It is unmerited favor. We receive favor, freedom, and life that we did not deserve or earn, but that was paid for by the blood of Jesus. Titus 2:11-14 exhorts us, “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” We must accept our freedom, not abuse it, but learn how to handle it wisely, not as an occasion to offend others, but we should live so that God could receive glory from our restoration. There is no shame in enjoying freedom but only in being foolish and mishandling it. Proverbs 26:11 says, “As a dog returns to his vomit, so a fool returns to his folly.” One verse to close by is Romans 12:11-19 which admonishes us, “Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” Embrace your freedom today!