Ownership

 "Man has no property in man; neither has any generation a property in the generations which are to follow" - Thomas Paine, Rights of Man, Part First

Every person on this planet has a set of values that they live by, even if they have not been defined. We are ruled by one or two, maybe a combination of a few, but they will determine how our lives are expressed. 

When asked what their values are, most people will list "love" as number one and then rattle off the standard, trite responses without real examination of whether those values are apparent in the woven fabric of their life's spectrum. For me, I knew freedom was high on the list yet I hadn't realized how much until the last few years when put through the wringer by God. My spiritual wayfaring has centered specifically around the finding of that freedom. For most of my life, I felt confined, without air, smothered, watched, and owned. Yes, owned. It didn't become apparent until I gave myself to God and began the process of sovereignty and self-ownership.

Our lives will be an expression of the values spiritually inherent within us. With freedom as my ruling valuation of worth meant that the expression of it could look like servitude, running away, the constant saying of "No" or "No more" that fell on deaf ears because I kept giving in, or hiding in closets, bedrooms, or the mountains. The values that inherently rule us will become our trials and traumas long before we find their right and true expression.

Throughout my life, it has been apparent that certain people in my life believed me to be theirs as if they owned me. Usually, these people were already in my life but sometimes it would be complete strangers who decided on the spot I was theirs to construct, mold, and cage. The latter I could easily run from, but the former were more difficult to escape. Even under the guise of love, people lay claim to ownership of spouses and children (no matter if they are no longer under the age of 18). We do this by determining their path for them, regulating their behavior, and constructing a vision of their future without much, if any, input from them. Mark 6:4 reads, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household,” meaning those who have known us all our lives will be determined to keep us as the version they are familiar with. Few of our closest connections will want to move with us into our truth. Most will utilize repetitive speech and vision to keep us from moving forward so they don't have to feel uncomfortable with our evolution that then requires their subsequent growth.

That revelation of freedom's positive side feels like pure authentic truth, expansion, and self-love and it allows speech not tempered by thought to be voiced, action to be spontaneous, the heart to truly love that which it loves, and joy in that heart expression to be felt without shame or fear.

So, what do you claim are your highest values? Are they being expressed or experienced by you? Or, are they in their inverse state, restricting and deconstructing all that you find good? If in opposition to your divinity or ideal state, perhaps it's time to change your perspectives, words, and actions so that they align to those values you desire to rule your world. Look at everything - literally everything - in your life and examine their usefulness in the expression of those values. If it does not serve, it no longer belongs. Same goes with the people currently in your life. God said, "Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere [...]" (Genesis 19:17). If we don't purge ourselves, God certainly will burn the chaff from the wheat in the fire of the Holy Spirit. If we aren't aligned, we cannot serve God in the manner he requires. His values place us firmly in a space of freedom - free from division of the mind, body, or soul - and allows us the ability to properly express his divinity through us in ways that are inspiring, joyous, loving, and kind. It's not an easy road to choose but through Christ, we gain authority of God's law that expands us outwardly into that sovereign freedom.