17- He who is freed from sin internally, can use external freedom in the right way

 

St-Takla.org Image: Grace, save the idea, a hand holding a lamp. صورة في موقع الأنبا تكلا: النعمة، أنقذ الفكرة، يد تحمل مصباح.

For example he who is free from hatred, cruelty, violence and oppression, can use his freedom properly when dealing with people, as we have discussed this issue before here on st-takla.org in other sections. But if a person is offensive or cold-hearted and wishes to use his freedom in whatever way he likes, he will hurt others with his cruelty and offensiveness.

Likewise, a person who is not freed from bodily lusts can abuse his freedom in harming others instead of using his freedom to preserve his purity and holiness.

A girl, for example, who says: I shall put on whatever dress I like, and laugh or enjoy myself as I want, is in this way offending others and may cause others to fall besides herself. Such a girl is not yet free internally, so she uses her external freedom in a way that causes harm to herself and to others.

A student who is not serious in his study all year and says: I am free to do whatever I want, is in fact doing harm to himself and is misusing his freedom, and thus cannot succeed in his life because he is not freed within from the domination of diversion.

My advice to you is, use your freedom for your own benefit and for the benefit of others. Free yourself within first before you practice your external freedom.