True Freedom

 During yesterday’s sermon, my pastor told the story of a church deacon who went to a visit a young couple in the hospital after they’d had a baby. The baby was born with Down Syndrome. The deacon, not knowing what to say, simply held the baby and declared her beautiful. Still not knowing what to say, the deacon prayed with the couple and simply thanked God for the miracle of life and asked God to bless the newly expanded family.

A few weeks later, the couple wrote the deacon a note and thanked him for the visit. At the end of the note, the wife spoke candidly about how much his simply welcoming the baby had meant to the couple. Everyone else had greeted the family with words of apology that their baby had been born with Down Syndrome. The couple didn’t need words of apology, though; they were overjoyed with their daughter just as she was.

The deacon felt that his lack of words had been a failure. In all actuality, his simple welcoming had been just what the couple needed.

…

I was getting my ears pierced once when the piercing guy said something that stuck with me.

He said, “One of the reasons I love my job is because I get to be with people during special moments in their lives. Almost all piercings are either celebratory or therapeutic. It’s special to be able to bear witness to such times.”

The ear piercer doesn’t hold a job oft considered life-changing or impactful. In all actuality, his calm and gentle presence is just what many people need.

…

My mom went to a funeral in Charlotte a couple of weeks ago. Mom and dad had served a church there over 40 years ago. While dad has always been the front man of the church, my mom has always played a quieter role—playing piano and teaching Sunday School. It was during one of her Sunday School classes that mom congratulated one of her young adults on completing a 10k. She had seen his name in the paper and thought it would be nice to read it aloud to the class, so she did, and then forgot about it.

40 years later, at a funeral, that young adult, now older, told mom the story of how much her small gesture had meant to him.

Mom had no idea that a simple action could mean so much. In all actuality, her words of affirmation had been just what the young man needed.

…

True personal freedom doesn’t always come through huge actions.
True personal freedom comes when we are Welcomed, Loved, and Seen.

Today, on this Independence Day, may we be a people who set others free.

Amen.