Free to go!

African American men, women and children being auctioned off in front of a crowd of men. 

From an original sketch by Theodore R. Davis, that appeared in Harper's weekly July 1861

There is a legend that Abraham Lincoln went to a slave auction and saw a girl being sold off to the highest bidder. Lincoln joined in the bidding, which he won; as he was walking away with his newly purchased property, he said, “Young lady.... you are free!”

She said, “What does that mean?”

“It means you are free.”

“Does that mean,” she asked, “that I can say whatever I want to say?”

Lincoln said, “Yes, my dear, you can say whatever you want to say.”

“Does that mean,” she asked, “that I can be whatever I want to be?”

Lincoln said, “Yes, you can be whatever you want to be.”

“Does that mean I can go wherever I want to go?”

He said, “Yes, you can go wherever you want to go.”

Then the girl, with tears streaming down her face, said, "Then I want to be with you"

Lincoln looked down at her, puzzled. "You can go anywhere. Why would you want to follow me?" "Cause I wanna be with the one who set me free."

Of course there is no way to be sure that such an encounter ever took place. The story is part of the process by which we make heroes out of people that we can or do admire. This is not an entirely negative process, for we all need some ideals to live by.

Freedom is a peculiar commodity… those of us who have it in truckloads don’t usually fully appreciate it, and those who don’t have it are often willing to die for it! 

There is a scene in that great movie, “Braveheart”, when the Scottish freedom fighter William Wallace, who is about to lead his people into a pivotal battle, cries: “They may take away our lives, but they’ll never take our freedom!” The well-known plea by the American patriot, Patrick Henry ended with these words . . . “I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death.”

Jesus said… “Therefore if the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed. John 8:36 

We moderns do not fully appreciate the depth of meaning in this verse. We have lived with varying degrees of freedom all of our lives, but Jesus was alluding to an ancient practice that would have spoken volumes to His audience. There was a custom among the Romans, of the oldest son granting freedom after his father’s death, to all who were born slaves in his (father’s) house. Such an event was usually preceded by a public announcement… “I have made these people free”

The freed slaves then had a choice to make… they could either live as free people and try and make their way in the world… or they could to choose to become “bond slaves” and remain as part of their former master’s household, passed on as part of the inheritance to the son who set them free. A surprising number made the latter choice, and remained slaves, but as part of the household with all of its privileges.

The Israelites of old had a similar practice… Voluntary Surrender: In the case of a slave’s release in the seventh year there was allowed a willing choice of indefinite slavery. The ceremony at such a time was interesting: “Then his master shall bring him unto the judges and shall bring him to the door, or the door-post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him forever” (Exodus 21:6). A pierced ear probably meant obedience to the master’s voice.

We have made a similar choice… we were born slaves (to sin), we have been freed (from the curse of sin) by our Lord and His willing sacrifice, and we have chosen to become fellow servants with the saints, and of the household of God.

That is why the Book of Revelation starts with this unusual injunction… “A Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to Him to declare to His servants things which must shortly come to pass. And He signified it by sending His angel to His servant (literally a slave) John. Revelation 1:1 MKJV

Have you freely become a servant?  

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