FLIGHT TO FREEDOM

MOST OF US CALL OURSELVES CHRISTIAN, YET I GET THE DISTINCT IMPRESSION WE GIVE LITTLE THOUGHT TO WHAT THAT MEANS. WE TAKE FROM THE BIBLE WHAT FITS OUR IDEOLOGY AND LEAVE THE REST. THE JEWISH PEOPLE FLED EGYPT, FREEING THEMSELVES FROM THE CORRUPTION OF THE PHARAOH AND HIS SYSTEM OF SCARCITY. (LITTLE FOOD, LITTLE FAMILY TIME, 18 HOUR WORK DAYS, LITTLE JUSTICE). THE JEWS FLED TO SINAI, THE PROMISED LAND, AND RECEIVED RULES TO LIVE BY. (THE TEN COMMANDMENTS). THEY WERE TO PAY HOMAGE TO GOD, BE GOOD NEIGHBORS, AND TAKE A LITTLE TIME OFF FROM THOSE 18 HOUR WORKDAYS. IT WAS NO LONGER NECESSARY TO STRUGGLE TO FEED YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY. GOD WOULD PROVIDE, WHICH DIDN'T MEAN YOU WERE TO SIT BY AND PRAY FOR THE BEST, BUT GIVE THANKS FOR THE BOUNTY YOU WERE GIVEN THROUGH YOUR HARD WORK, DEVOTION, AND COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY. AS IT HAPPENED, CHRIST ENTERED THE PICTURE AND CHALLENGED THE HIERARCHY OF THE JEWISH LEADERS, WHO HE BELIEVED HAD STRAYED AWAY FROM THE PROMISE. CHALLENGING THOSE IN POWER IS NEVER A GOOD THING. WE ARE FINDING THAT OUT TODAY WITH THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY. CHRIST EMPHASIZED THE COMMON GOOD, BEING A GOOD NEIGHBOR, HELPING THE POOR, GIVING HEALTHCARE TO THOSE WHO COULD NOT AFFORD IT. GIVING YOUR DEVOTION TO GOD, NOT MAN. AS CHRISTIANS, WE WERE REMOVED FROM A PLACE OF BONDAGE, SCARCITY, SUBMISSION, AND BLIND OBEDIENCE, TO A PLACE OF ABUNDANCE, HOPE, FREEDOM, THE COMMON GOOD, AND THE PROMISE OF COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBORHOOD. WE ONCE AGAIN FIND OURSELVES STRUGGLING TO FLEE THE OPPRESSOR.