Independence vs. Freedom

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"Awe, is that your first?" I glanced up as I held my baby nephew in my arms. Smiling as sweetly as possible i told her "no, he's my nephew." She looked slightly shocked for a moment..."well, you act like you are very responsible."

Or in another instance {which has repeated itself for the past 10 years}: "Auntie Kaytra...are you married yet?" {I smile every time, because they cannot seem to understand that it takes a wedding to be married...not to mention a guy.}

Every time someone guesses my "responsible age," or figures that I must be over 25 with all my nephews and nieces in tow it gets me to thinking about what it means to be "grown up" and independent.

What does it mean to be independent?

From the worlds view it means to be free from the authority of the parents and able to "be yourself" with no shame of what that might entail. "It's your life...do what you want" is what so many young ladies hear from people who give their free advice on your future.

Sure, that sounds appealing to the girl who has no idea what God-ordained authority is, and what destruction lies beyond it's protection.

Webster defines independence as: "complete exemption from control, or the power of others; as the independence of the Supreme Being."

The desire to be in control of your own life.

Have you ever felt that way?

I have. I have acted upon that desire...and got swallowed up in the consequences.

Independence is something that cannot exist in the life of a Christian. It is wrong. It is sin.

"Whenever God touches sin it is independence that is touched and that awakens resentment in the human heart. Independence must be blasted clean out. There must be no such thing left, only freedom, which is the ability not to insist on my rights, but to see that God gets His." ~Oswald Chambers: Disciples Indeed

"For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery... {Gal.5:1a}