Encouragement

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The one who frees others from the bonds of slavery is called a liberator. Generally freedom is understood as the right to say or do what one wants without anyone stopping it, or as liberty to do things as one likes. It may be social freedom, economical freedom or freedom from diseases. Amarthya Sen, the Nobel Laureate of India, looks at freedom from the angle of various inhibiting factors or un-freedoms and deprivations that stifle development and therefore must be removed first. These un-freedoms are economic (poverty), social (caste and oppression), cultural (blind beliefs), political (corruption) and educational (illiteracy). Jesus liberates us from all these un-freedoms.

1) Liberation from poverty

Jesus gave us a clear idea about wealth and liberation from poverty. Wealth is given to us not to promote selfish enjoyment but to spend it for love and sharing. Wealth is just a means to liberate humanity from its fetters. It is the means to earn wealth in heaven. He stated clearly that wealth does not confer happiness or immortality on the wealthy. Rich people are not necessarily the happy lot. He advised that wealth should not enslave but liberate. He said, “Where your treasure is, there also your heart will be.”(Matthew 6:21) That is why he said, “Indeed it is easier for a camel to go thorough the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God” (Luke 18: 25)

2) Liberation from social bondage

When the society turns consumerist every creature is transformed into a commodity, including human being. In that society how can we expect justice? Jesus fought for justice through and through. The Pharisees and scribes were frowned at his move of welcoming sinners and downtrodden. For him all are children of God. He is always searching for the ‘lost sheep’ to liberate it from its entanglement.

3) Cultural liberation

Jesus was quite against the blind beliefs and traditions of the Jews. Throughout the Gospels we can see the revolutionary remarks of Jesus in this regard. Observation of Sabbath, fasting, washing hands, etc. were some of his reactions against the blind beliefs.

4) Political liberation

In nature God has provided everything necessary for human existence. But selfishness of man has built up boundaries and political fences. This has causes variations in the levels of demand and supply. “The serpent of scarcity has entered the paradise through unlimited wants and unequal distribution of means to satisfy them,” As a result, political invasions and never-ending disputes between nations, states, societies and individuals are increasing day by day. Nobody seems to understand the path of liberation that Jesus has shown us through sharing.

5) Religious liberation

Jesus insisted that religion is meant for liberation and not for any kind of enslavement. He told the tempter, “Man does not live by bread alone, but also by every word uttered by God.” For him all are equal. Jesus pointed out Sabbath is for man and rituals and ceremonies should not be fetters for his freedom. He drove out all who were buying and selling “making the Temple of God into a den of thieves” (Matthew 21: 13) He made “no difference between humanism and religion. He demonstrated and told his peers and country men if your religion does not enhance humanity, you have no morality.” He showed that the path of love and sharing should be given priority in ones life. “Religion enslaves but love sets you free.” Paul said it correctly, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” (Gal.5.l)

Jesus is still the liberator. He is the only person who can free us from all kinds of fetters, physical, psychological and spiritual. His Words can enlighten our minds to free ourselves from all these bondages. His message in the synagogue of Nazareth, “Lord has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives, sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim a year of favor from the Lord” (Luke 4:18-19) is still a clarion call to our present life!

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