Hello. Congratulations to Nelson Mandela on his 90th birthday! He is one of the great statesmen of our age, and has made an indelible impression on world history. “Mandiba”, as he is called affectionately, has much to say. One statement that stands out in my mind is taken from his autobiographical A Long Walk to Freedom. He mentions that freedom is not just casting off chains but that “with freedom come responsibilities”. If only world leaders and revolutionaries would heed those words. Too often with freedom comes irresponsibility. Curiously, sometimes Christians misunderstand freedom. Some proclaim freedom in Christ and think that means they are at liberty to do anything they want and to believe anything they want. The apostle Peter explains that believers are free, but that they should not use that liberty “as a cloak for vice”, meaning wickedness (1 Peter 1:16). Freedom can be abused, and with it comes the call to cast off the chains of lies, anger, irritability, spitefulness, blasphemy, filthy talk and sexual promiscuity, and to embrace a life filled with “tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering” (Colossians 3:5‑12). For the Christian too, with freedom come responsibilities. Kind regards, James (A Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela was published in 1995 by Macdonald Purnell, South Africa) | Would you like to comment on this
thought from James Henderson? | 
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