Are you satisfied with your portion of life, liberty and happiness?
Here is a treasured formula straight from the Declaration of Independence.
Wrong Order for Happiness
I believe that America’s distress comes from reversing the order laid out in the Declaration of Independence.
“Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”
Instead, we pursue happiness first and then liberty hoping this lineup makes life.
Can you blame us? Media advertising promotes happiness first because advertising is designed to make us believe we’re not happy!
Social media saturates us with dissatisfaction.
When appetite is numero uno, liberty degenerates into license.
If it feels good, pursue it! Buy it! Borrow it! Or steal it!
Freedom in that sense melts into anarchy.
Right Order for Happiness
But, real freedom is life first.
Life, liberty and then the pursuit of happiness.
This formula for happiness begins with life and that life comes from God who . . .
- “endowed” us
- “entitled” us
Our framers of the Declaration of Independence declared this.
They didn’t believe in freedom to do what you feel.
They believed in freedom to become all you can be.
A Skeptic’s Turnaround with God
Few had a closer vantage point to God’s idea of liberty and freedom than James, the half-brother of Jesus.
At first, he was skeptical along with the rest of Jesus’ family.
If anyone can smell “fake” about who you think you are or what you’re selling, it’s your half-brother.
“For even his own brothers did not believe in him.” John 7:5
But, it was James, after his life altering encounter with the resurrected Jesus (1 Cor. 15:7) who found the key to happiness.
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of all he created.” James 1:17-18
Life from the Father of Heavenly Lights
Pursue life first and keep pursuing it and listen to what James says.
“But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it– not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it– they will be blessed in what they do.” James 1:25
A God-blessed life is not freedom to do what you feel, its freedom to be all you can be.
The good life is freedom that is guided, directed and conditioned by . . .
- God Almighty
- God the Creator
- God the Supreme Judge
- God the Divine Provider
56 Men
On a hot July day in 1776, 56 men laid it on the line.
They took tremendous risk against a wealthy and mighty British force.
They pledged their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor.
And it cost them all of that.
Facing those odds, the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence paid a dear price.
Think of that. 56 men changed the world with this written declaration about the nature of
- Man
- God
- Governments
- Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Think of the impact.
56 men who saw . . .
- God as Creator
- God as Life Giver
- God as the Author of Freedom
- God as Supreme Judge and
- God as the Divine Provider
A Nation of Immigrants and Dissenters
I think it takes outrageous determination to take life in a new direction.
We’re a nation of immigrants, pioneers and dissenters.
Instead of marching against political opinions, let’s dissent against evil, oppression and hate.
You and I are the descendants of dissenters, folks who were willing to pay the price to pursue life first and as a result, find freedom.
Are we willing to pay that price?
Thanks for your insight as always Steve, and would supplement your thoughts with a personal observation that the United States has survived as a great experiment of democracy because we are rooted in a strong religious foundation which inspires faith, moral values and servant leadership. Absent this foundation, democracy as an institution, is inherently flawed. The freedom that the constitution provides is merely that of free choice, and not dissimilar to an apple from the tree of wisdom.
It is how we exercise that free choice consistent with our shared values that has the potential to make this country exceptional. God bless America and Happy Independence Day.
Thanks for your comment John. Makes you wonder how those values will unfold in the future. Everyone has a big role to play.
Such great thoughts for Independence Day! Thanks for sharing.
Happy 4th to you and the family Brad!
Steve,
I actually do think we pay the ultimate price, the USA puts its own citizens at risk to help others around the world who are in greater need. It takes courage to starve your own to feed the famished, but that is the American way. I became a citizen of this great nation and whenever someone bad mouths it, I politely suggest they should move to wherever they think is better.
If happiness was the constant, then ecstatic would be adopted as the new norm missing “life” all along.
Congratulations, great thoughts and wish you a Happy 4th of July! …AB
Appreciate your comment AB. I agree with the sentiment! Best to you good friend.
As always, Steve, your insights go beyond the obvious to profound application. Such truth… I especially appreciate the inclusion of James. Thank you.
Thanks Wayne. Sure enjoyed your blog this morning!
Like a compass! Thanks Steve!