Daley Freedom

“It is for freedom that Christ has set you free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery”. Galatians 5:1 NIV

I wrote last week about a struggle I was having. Specifically, I thought that God was working on me in some area. Usually not completely sure what God is teaching I was searching. I think I hit on something.

This past weekend I had the good fortune of watching a young girl named Daley play in a football game. She is around 10 years old and according to the program weighs in at a whopping 56 pounds or so. I met her mother when we lived in Scott City. She was around the same age as Daley and was my buddy. She would get mad at her parents and try walking to our house. We spent hours together in a gym. When I told her I took a job in Hays I was crying, I knew I was letting her down. She is one of my favorite kids ever, and she now has three daughters.

I love my wife. I love my kids. By comparison I just like everything else. Football is as close as anything else is to love though. My daughters were not athletic. Both were dancers and loved it. Aly succeeded competitively even at national levels. But I remember pitching a softball to her and realizing it was hopeless. I was not going to be a sports dad. Her feet literally never stopped moving, pre-pitch, during the pitch and during the swing. I had to try to hit her bat with the pitch. Jordyn once ran 100 meters in 18 seconds and was quite proud of her new personal best. Korbin is his own type of kid altogether. We watched last week as he watched a movie and translated sub-titles from French to English in real time and then in a twist, did the reverse by reciting French sub-titles in English. I am not kidding. But throw him in a game, that is not his deal.

So I got a little football fix in the process of watching. She was quick and she was fairly aggressive. She caught a pass on offense and while playing defense broke up a play like a veteran, keeping perfect outside leverage. It was cool. At one point she was distracted and while waving frantically at someone hollered out “Mom, will you get Mr. Harris?” Turns out one of her favorite teachers was not paying attention. She also apparently drew the ire of her coach (dad) for doing cartwheels on the sideline during her previous game. I know from raising daughters, sometimes a girl just has to do a cartwheel.

What I realized was not about football. I guess when they went to check out equipment her dad noticed that every eye in the room was on her, but she did not notice. I may be wrong but when I think of bravery, I think of when you have fear of something and act anyway. What I saw that day was a kid who was not fearful. She correctly thought that she belonged there. She did not need anyone to tell her it was unusual for a girl to want to play football. She just knew she was playing. It takes good parenting to raise kids who think they can be brave. It takes exceptional parenting to convince them they belong. They have three daughters who are free to belong wherever they end up.

So am I. So are you. I bind myself with all kinds of things. I will convince myself that my own behavior, or lack thereof, will negate the Grace afforded me by my Savior Jesus Christ. I am wrong every time. I think bad days or even a season of testing is a result of me. I realize that it can be. There are consequences for behavior. If I eat 4,000 calories a day, I gain weight. If I convince myself that a bad streak of work is a punishment, I miss an opportunity to realize God is capable of taking care of me without my proficiency. The more self sufficient that I think I am, the further He may have to move me toward reliance on Him. Why do I not just hand Him my life without having to endure a season?

Sometimes people think a relationship with Jesus puts a narrow road of restrictions on them. That really is not true. God’s word tells me that it is for “freedom that Christ has set me free.” The sinful nature in me may dictate my thoughts but the grace offered to me in the form of a relationship with Jesus cannot be overpowered by me. Over the last few months, I have tightly wrapped the yoke of slavery to my sinful nature on my own shoulders and worn it like shoulder pads. That is a difficult way to live. Jesus has set me free, to rely on Him.

What emotional, physical or spiritual weight are you carrying?

Is it possible that Jesus has paid the price for that too? (Yes!)

Challenge: If you need reminding like I did, re-read the verse “It is for freedom that Christ has set you free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery”. Galatians 5:1 NIV Enjoy your freedom.

Rick Claiborn