For all those who are called to freedom

For all those who are called to freedom and use freedom to serve others in love. 

For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.

Galatians 5:13

Paul was writing to the messed-up church in Galatia. They were confused because people were saying Jesus was not enough. They thought Greeks had to be like Jews to be real Christians. 

Paul had to write them to tell them to not even think about going down that path. He wrote that if you want to obey one part of the law, you have to obey every part of the law. He went on to tell them that they haven’t been called to the law, but they have been called to freedom…and it’s not good enough to simply have freedom, they had to use that freedom to serve each other in love. 

Most of us aren’t faced with the problem that we have to become Jewish to really be a Christian…as I write that I think about some friends who purposefully ignore Paul’s writing because they think He’s too Greek… you MAY be faced with the problem of wanting to be more Jewish to be a better Christian.  

Get over yourself and get out of that thought. That matter was settled close to 2000 years ago at the first Jerusalem council (Acts 15:22-29).

I’m more concerned for followers of Christ who don’t recognize the freedom that they have. 

There’s too many of us who put on masks when we meet with other Christians. We behave a certain way to not offend them. We don’t want to offend others outside the church, so we aren’t active in sharing our faith. 

There’s a cycle that happens when we can never be ourselves. We can’t be ourselves with the church, we can’t be who Jesus called us to be outside the church. 

Both opposing worlds are telling us “be like us and you’ll be accepted.” But we’re not accepted in either place. 

Some of us turn our backs on the church because it’s not real, because they don’t get it, because they’re all hypocrites. 

Others of us silo ourselves from the world because we’re not comfortable, we’re not welcomed, we’re not one of them.  

Both those extremes are in the ditches. We’re not living in freedom. We’re not living loved. 

But that’s what we’ve been called to. 

We have been made for freedom. That’s why we buckle and kick when somebody tries to label us – inside the church or outside the church. 

We’re made to be known and know …and labels strip the essence of who we are. 

You know you’re made for freedom. Do you live with freedom? 

Better yet, do you live with freedom by serving others in love? 

A term for this came to me as I was coming off beta-blockers as I recovered from a heart attack. It’s what I like to call people who are ready to know they are free AND use that freedom to love others. I like this term… 

lī·​te·​ra·​ti | \ ˌlī-tə-ˈrä-(ˌ)tē 
1  : the ones called to freedom who use that freedom to serve others in love

2  : persons interested in walking with God in the garden in the cool of the day

First Known Use of lighterati

2019, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for lighterati

obsolete Italian litterati, from Latin, plural of litteratus

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#lighterati #livelight #liveloved #liveintentional #livegenerous #livehopeful #livetoday 

Are you ready to call yourself a Lighterati? I can help you use your freedom to serve others in love. Find out how at https://revtrev.com/coaching