The human spirit longs for freedom. But for many people, its pursuit actually leads to greater bondage.

Bible teacher Henrietta Mears once told her students, “A bird is free in the air. Place a bird in the water and he has lost his liberty. A fish is free in the water, but leave him on the sand and he perishes. . . . The Christian is free when he does the will of God and is obedient to God’s command. This is as natural a realm for God’s child as the water is for the fish, or the air for the bird.”

Although King Solomon didn’t use the word freedom in Proverbs 16, he understood that it comes only within the sphere of honoring God and His Word. By contrast, bondage comes to those who ignore God’s truth. Liberty results from practicing humility, trust, careful conversation, and self-control (vv.19-24). But bondage inevitably enslaves those who are governed by willful rebellion, pride, arrogance, strife, and malicious trouble-making (vv.18,27-30).

Do you want to be free? Jesus said, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (Jn. 8:31-32). Jesus is the ultimate source of true freedom.

  — Mart De Haan