"LIBERTY?"

    Our family vacation took us to the iconic New York City skyline, viewed from the Liberty Park in New Jersey.  From this vantage point, we could see Lady Liberty holding her torch above the New York Harbor.  We strolled past Ellis Island and into the historic New Jersey train station -- the very starting point of my own parents who had sailed to America from The Netherlands and travelled to California.  However, at the train station, we saw an interesting piece of artwork, "Reclining Liberty."
    It felt out of place for me.  I researched this exhibit and learned that is was meant to be "slightly irreverent."  It was supposed to incorporate the posture of many Asian statues that are in a reclining position.  It was designed to be approached and climbed upon -- almost everything antithetical to the true Statue of Liberty.
    Also while on vacation, I listened to a sermon presented online at Richland ARP by Dr. Arthur Hunt on the very topic of "liberty" (you should listen to it, too!  Here is the link: youtu.be/VBCh_i6Znfw?t=1185)  What Dr. Hunt taught was actually being illustrated by this "artistic display."
    In our modern era, society first sought to change the definition of liberty -- determining that true liberty was actually the freedom to change reality!  This is why there is so much confusion in our world today… the world tried to redefine what a woman actually was, attempting to fit other "types" of people into that category, so that today, no one is even able to answer the simple question, "What is a woman?"
     The Apostle Peter wrote, "As free men, do not use your liberty as a cloak for vice, but live as servants of God."  
    This is where true liberty is known: recognizing that we belong to God, and that He has given us holy gifts for the benefit of experiencing true freedom and the ability to serve others.
    I was taught long ago: "He who makes himself the servant of the compass will have the freedom of the seas."  Many people have come to America to embrace this type of freedom -- may we always take a stand to defend what true liberty is -- and shine it to the world! - km