FREEDOM

On Canada Day, I was invited to supper (as Canadians call dinner) by a family from church. The host/head of the family bowed and said, “Lord…we thank You for our freedom which we do not take lightly.”

After dinner, I went to the park to celebrate my adoptive country’s Canada Day festivities. In mid-June, my native Philippines celebrated it’s independence day, and early last week, the country inaugurated a new president. Yesterday, I watched some stuff on TV related to the Independence Day celebrations in the US, where some of my family have decided to settle for good. Freedom. William Wallace screamed it out at his execution, and  oh what a beautiful word freedom is!

This morning, I was preparing some documents for my upcoming visit to the US Consulate. As I opened my passport, I couldn’t help but be moved by the thought that I am a free man!

Which reminds me of a book I read back in university. It appeared that the book was published a few years before I was born and yet, it seemed untouched when I first got hold of it in 1998. It was a  novel by American author Alex Haley titled, Roots: The Saga of an American Family where I found the moving story of Kunta Kinte. Kunte Kinte was a Mandinka tribesman from West African. He was captured by slave traders and was taken to North America. He was purchased by the plantation owner down in Annapolis and he’s put to work in the field. His new owner decides  to change Kunte Kinte’s name? He changes his name to Toby. But when Kunte Kinte is called Toby he doesn’t respond, his only reply is “My name Kunte Kinte.” Well, the foreman decides he’s going to teach Kunte Kinte his new name, so he lashes his hand to a post and he asks him, “What is your name?” and Kunte Kinte replies, “My name Kunte Kinte” and, crack!, the whip rips into Kunte Kinte’s flesh. Again he’s asked, “What is your name?”

“My name Kunte Kinte.” Again the whip sings out and begins to flail open Kunte Kinte’s back, and again and again and again he’s asked, “What is your name?” And again and again Kunte Kinte replies, “My name Kunte Kinte”, and the whip continues to rip him wide open until the point where he’s beaten and bloodied, and one final time the foreman says, “What is your name?” and now in a broken voice with tears and sweat pouring down his face Kunte Kinte replies, “My name Toby.”

Some years ago, fearless men and women defended the cause of freedom so that none of us will have to be flogged just for saying our originally given names, now we can hold on to our passports and understand that we are free individuals, and we can worship and express our faith without having to fear imprisonment for doing so. For these freedoms many eventually cost them their lives to defend and keep it for the generations following them.

But a little more than 2000 years ago, Jesus Christ was fastened to a post, humiliated, mocked, and beaten and scourged and killed. Hanging on Calvary’s cross, he went through all of that so that we will never have to be slaves again.

It is for freedom Christ set us free, and he Whom Christ frees is free indeed! Let others know about this freedom in Jesus Christ!