Freedom in Fences

I was listening to Dave Ramsey's radio program about money management. He has people who call in after working his system and are debt -free. They tell their story and then yell, "WE'RE DEBT-FREE!!!!!!" At the end of their call. Then you hear Dave's laugh and a voice says, "FREEDOM!" How did they find financial freedom? Well, there are these things called financial "rules" that can determine what you do with your money, if you let them. If you follow the "rules" you will find freedom.

I'm reading a couple different books about training children. They all say, "Children need boundaries. They thrive in a structured environment." Direct quote from James Dobson, "They are like the night security guard - they will go around checking door knobs, but they hope they don't work." Where can kids find freedom? When they live within "rules."

So what's the point? Well, I think sometimes we forget what a privilege our "rules" in the Bible are. When we follow God's plan for relationships, marriage, children, reaching out to others, personal godliness - that he has laid out in His word - That's freedom! Being his special people - that's who we're created to be. To be his representatives to this world, which knows very little about the joy of living by "rules," that 's what we're created to do.

Sometimes I get a little overwhelmed by the task in front of me. The girls here on my street, on the surface, have very little in common with me. Most of them are raising several children all alone, or with a temporary "husband." Many of them have never had any examples of great relationships. They look at me like I'm a little odd, at times, but they want me to come back and see them. I think they know there's something that they're missing in life. They haven't found real freedom, but they sense that I have. I want to tell them the good news - "there's freedom in fences!" I'll pray that God will tell them through my life.