looking to prisoners for lessons on freedom.

Have you ever climbed through a small door that makes the entrance inside prison walls and heard a choir of imprisoned men singing that their sins are taken away? It's a lot more emotional than hearing a well-dressed choir who pretend that they don't have any problems singing the same thing. I think I dress the best and sing the loudest in that choir. I love to avoid my problems. It comes very easy to me, especially since I don't wake up inside prison walls that stand as daily reminders of how my sins have taken me captive. I'm sure that these men can relate to me in that they do have problems that are avoidable but they had at least one mistake that led them to an unforgettable prison cell. I think that these imprisoned Christian men can understand a spiritual freedom better than I can.

A few days before attending the prison Sunday service, I went with my Uncle to the prison Bible Study. They started going through a book about spiritual freedom. My Uncle was quick to clarify that it is about spiritual freedom and not a "prison escapes for dummies" book. The book comes with a video. The author/speaker on the little TV that was crowded by men straining to hear said that the foundation of understanding spiritual freedom is understanding our identity.

Here is my history with identity. I think that with these popular fads of online profiles who we are has been cheapened to Facebook creeping and MySpace stalking. Do you know all of your Facebook friends better than their profiles? Generally, we are known by what we do or like and I think that is why Facebook profiles are often treated as identity cards.

If you haven't crept on me recently, some of my interests on my profile are soccer, music and people. In high school, like many other teens, I would try to figure out who I was especially through these three interests. I succeeded in soccer so that I could be known as an All-State soccer player; I succeeded in music so that I could be remembered as a gifted musician; and I succeeded in making friends so that I could be loved and respected as the really nice guy. Needless to say, frustration hit me more than high fives or pats on the back. I started to entertain the thought of having my identity put in Christ. It's remained a great idea but I've not fully understood what exactly that means. Finally, I realize that identity is associated with birth, not by what I do. This is what I believe that means:

I was born an American, I was born white, I was born a male. Whether or not I strum a guitar, kick a ball, offer firm handshakes and a smiling face or like Cheeseburgers, I'm still a white American male.

I was born-again a Christian, I was born-again atoned, I was born-again adopted and saved into an eternal life with my King. Whether or not I lust after a woman, get impatient with the arrogant, I am hypocritical or I suck at staying in the Word I remain an atoned, adopted, saved Christ-follower.