Note: This is a continution of chapter two of my Irreligious Followers book. The first part of this chapter is found here.
Free From Guilt and Shame--a Starting Point
My favorite story from when I preached endless sermons to endless groups of listeners (poor things) was this one:
A little boy visiting his grandparents on their farm was given a slingshot to play with in the woods. He would aim at berries, and shoot them down. He tried aiming at the wood pigeons. However, they were too quick for him. He spent a whole morning in the woods, mastering his new-found skill.
On his way back to the cottage for lunch, he saw grandma's pet duck. On impulse, he shot it in its head and killed it. In panic, he hid the dead duck in a pile of wwood,but his sister was watching. Susan saw everything, but said nothing.
After lunch that day, grandma said, "Susan, let's wash the dishes." Susan replied, "Grandma, Jack told me he wanted to help in the kitchen. Didn't you Jack?" Then she whispered into Jack's ear, "Remember the duck?" So, Jack helped with the dishes.
Later that afternoon, Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing."Oh, no. Susan has to stay back to help me clean the cottage, “Grandma intervened. "It's all right, grandma. Jack will stay to help you. I can accompany grandpa," Susan was fast to retort, and again she whispered into Jack's ear, "Remember the duck?" So Jack stayed behind to clean the cottage.
These 'remember the duck' went on for many days, until Jack could not take it any longer. Susan was always threatening, and Jack out of guilt, succumbed to her threats. He finally took courage and went to Grandma to confess to her that he had killed her pet duck.
Grandma patted Jack on the head, gave him a hug and said, "My dear boy, I know. You see, I was by the window the other day and saw the whole thing. Because I love you, I forgave you. I just wanted to see how long you would let Susan make a slave out of you.”
When we allow the voices of our past, of our mistakes, and of our own shame make a slave of us, we fail to fully embrace the power and wonder of the cross of Jesus Christ and walk in the freedom that has been purchased for us.
When we place ourselves under the dominion of institutions or religious human leadership, it is so easy to retreat back into those familiar places of guilt/shame and allow others to control us even if it’s unintended.
‘Freer still,’ is the watchword of today’s awakening, irreligious followers. It must begin with our own heart’s freedom to walk in innocence before God and man. There is no other foundation to follow Jesus other than one He has provided: ‘no condemnation.’
But, this freedom, starting from there, goes so much further:
- Free to depend on the living Holy Spirit rather than institutional doctrine or mediated leadership.
- Free to live the Jesus-following adventure ourselves every day, rather than waiting until we obtain the ‘qualifications’ that others prescribe.
- Free to put Jesus at the very center of our life; not our religion, and not our church affiliation.
- Free to be ourselves, even outlandish and controversial at times, not conforming to the expectations of other people, even religious ones.
- Free to not control others nor be controlled by others, but to take part in the dynamic movements of the Kingdom of God.
- Free to give up our posturing and false ego that are associated with our religious affiliations and live as a simple, childlike follower of our Magnificent God.
- Free to live out of the passion that God has put into us, rather than by the guilt or expectations of others.
- Free to find the destiny God has shaped us for, rather than the one that fits into the vision of another.
God is unleashing a freed-up Body—free to love and serve only Him with abandon and passion. Let’s break this down and see if we can throw off all the religious ‘ligatures’ that try to keep us from the full freedom we are called to.
