For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another. For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Galatians 5:13-14

Through the death and resurrection of Jesus, God has given us freedom from sin. There is nothing that we can do to earn our salvation; it is truly a gift from God. The question then, is to what use will we put our freedom? For God has also given us free will, so we can choose what we will do.

In this passage from Galatians, Paul is encouraging us to put our freedom to work by loving and serving our neighbors, instead of being inwardly focused on our own wants and desires. This seems straightforward, but in practice this may not be quite so easy. We live in a rich and materialistic society that provides plenty of things to distract us.

How can we love and serve our neighbors? There are many ways we can do this. It can be as simple as stopping your car to let someone in the crosswalk safely cross the street. Or it can be writing a check to your favorite charity. Or you might take part in a charity run or walk. Or maybe you volunteer your time. Or perhaps you are a member of a church that is active in the community. We as a congregation support many organizations and programs within the community. Ten years ago when I started looking for a new church home, that was one of the things that really stood out about Midvale Community Lutheran Church, and it still does.

These are only a few of the many ways that we can serve our neighbors. It is up to each of us to choose the ones that suit us best.

Dear Lord, thank you for the amazing gift of freedom that You have given us. Please help us to use it wisely, to love and serve our neighbors. Amen.

April 7, 2019