The Cost of Liberty

This post was originally published on The Devotional Guy on July 4, 2016 as “Freedom Exacts a Price.”

We all cherish our freedom. A nation built on rugged individualism producing innovation and promoting entrepreneurship, we relish our autonomy, being beholden to no-one, free to pursue our God-given inalienable rights to pursue the self-evident truths of liberty, life and happiness.

On July 4, 1776 the Thirteen American colonies declared their Independence from their British rulers. The colonists declared their intent to govern themselves. You can learn more about this seminal document here.

Since America became a nation, wrenching itself free from the despot clutches of the 18th century English monarchy, it has remained the land where freedom reigns. But freedom, as noble as an endeavor it may be, is not free. No, indeed. Freedom comes at a great cost, demanding not only vigilance by the Republic’s citizenry, but often times exacting payment in blood.

Freedom does not come without a fight. In our world, to be free is still a rarer occurrence than we might like to believe. For a nation to remain free, it is dependent on those who serve it by protecting it and what it stands for. To date, some 1.2 million soldiers, men and women alike, have laid down their lives so that you and I might know what it is to live free.

The price of freedom is something we should remember and celebrate on days like the 4th of July. In respect for those who sacrificed their all, we need to continue to be a watchful people, standing up for our freedoms so that those who died defending our right to enjoy them did not die in vain. It is the least we can do to honor those who gave their all for us to have the opportunity to enjoy our all.

Freedom means that we have the right to disagree and to voice opposing viewpoints. It’s not only okay that we don’t see eye-to-eye on everything, it’s necessary for liberty to exist. Freedom doesn’t mean we always do things my way or your way. Freedom requires that at times we find common ground and to do things our way.

Celebrate freedom today. Please don’t forget the cost that previous generations have paid for us to enjoy the freedom we experience today. Our freedoms are neither free nor guaranteed. Liberty comes at a price.

Happy Independence Day!