A freind of mine was showing me a new feature offered by his car insurance company that he says will save him money on his premium. This new feature and app on his phone monitors his driving habits and if he drives well, will offer him a percentage off of his monthly rate. This feature tracks every movement of his car. He showed me on his phone how they knew when he was speeding, when he had to brake harder than normal, and even when he went around a corner too fast. I asked him what kind of discount they gave him and he said it varied according to his driving habits but was usually 10%.

My mind instantly began to think how foolishly we give up our privacy and freedom for just a few dollars. Those “free” phones that are given out may be nice, but honestly, when you take one, you’ve just given up your privacy and yes, your freedom. It concerns me how much we will give up for such a little return.

Benjamin Franklin once said, “Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.” When we give up liberty, we’re not really gaining much safety. We’re actually surrendering both. The reason for that is that man’s heart in inherently evil. We are all born into sin. When we surrender something to mankind, they are sure to missuse it.

Here’s what is really important. Scripture says in 1 Cor 3:17, “…where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” God cannot be corrupted. He cannot be bought. We give up so much to people yet when God calls us to Himself and asks something of us, we bulk and whine like little children. We run in rebellion to what God wants yet freely give it up to others.

While I am far from perfect, this is something I’ve seen among Christians and in churces for many years. We willingly give ourselves to what the world says is important while we go kicking and screaming when God desires us to draw near to Him. Rich Mullins once wrote in the song Hold Me Jesus that “I’d rather fight You for something I don’t really want than take what You give that I need.” You see friends, God offers freedom and peace in abundance to us. Jesus is called the Prince of Peace. Truth is, we could never have peace, joy, or freedom without God and His love. He offers these to us freely. He already knows everything about us so we aren’t really losing anything. Our surrender to Him brings us peace of mind.

This past week while I was ministering at Harvest Baptist Church in Jennings, MD, while sharing about the greatness of our High Priest and how He did what the law could not, I felt within myself and continued to follow the leading of Holy Spirit to encourage others to get past the supperficial relationship with God that so many struggle through and allow that once guarded separation between God and mankind that is now open and free to guide your steps. In His presence you will find peace of mind, or even better, SHALOM (peace, harmony, wholeness, completeness). Don’t surrender it to someone or something who can’t bring you real peace.