Shalom, Mitspacha!
Safeguarding Personal Freedom
“I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Therefore choose life, so that you may live, you and your descendants.”
- Devarim (Deuteronomy) 30:19
“Stand fast therefore in the freedom by which Mashiach has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of slavery.”
- Galatiyim (Galatians) 5:1
“Each one shall remain in the calling in which he was called.”
- Qorintiyim Aleph (1 Corinthians) 7:20
YHVH gives human beings meaningful responsibility and calls them to make righteous choices. His Torah repeatedly establishes boundaries that protect people from being treated as property, oppressed through unjust power, or deprived of the ability to live according to His commandments.
Safeguarding personal freedom does not mean freedom without responsibility. The freedom YHVH gives is ordered toward life, righteousness and obedience to Him. No person therefore has a legitimate right to dominate another person, while each person remains accountable to YHVH for how that freedom is used.
The Renewed Covenant likewise teaches that freedom must not become an opportunity for selfishness or another form of bondage. Yahusha calls His people to live in the freedom of serving YHVH, while respecting the dignity and responsibility of others.
Personal freedom can be lost gradually when people surrender their choices to fear, manipulation, coercion or the uncontrolled authority of others. Safeguarding freedom therefore requires both vigilance and self-discipline.
YHVH does not call us to use freedom selfishly, nor does He give others permission to control what belongs to another person's conscience and responsibility before Him. Righteous freedom recognises boundaries - we are responsible for our own choices while respecting the rightful choices of others.
May we therefore value the freedom YHVH has entrusted to us and protect it from both external domination and internal bondage. May we use our freedom to choose life, pursue righteousness and serve YHVH faithfully. May we also protect the freedom and dignity of those around us, refusing to manipulate, coerce or dominate them.
Heavenly Father, YHVH, thank You for the freedom and responsibility You have entrusted to us. Teach us to use that freedom wisely, choosing life, righteousness and obedience to You.
Protect us from every form of coercion, manipulation, oppression and bondage that would unlawfully take away the freedom You have given us. Give us discernment to recognise attempts to control or exploit others, and courage to stand firmly against such things.
Keep us from misusing our own freedom selfishly. Teach us to respect the dignity, conscience and responsibility of others, while remaining faithful to Your Torah and Your righteous ways.
Help us to stand firm in the freedom You have given us, using it not as an excuse for selfishness but as an opportunity to serve You and do what is right.
May our freedom remain under Your righteous authority, and may we help safeguard the freedom and dignity of others.
Baruch YHVH. Emet.
“YHVH bless you and keep you;
YHVH make His face shine upon you,
and be gracious to you;
YHVH lift up His countenance upon you,
and give you peace.”
- Bemidbar (Numbers) 6:24-26
Shalom until tomorrow.