Young Men, Pursue Freedom!
My encouragement for men in general – but especially for young men – is to pursue genuine freedom in all aspects of their lives. We often toss around the idea of freedom nonchalantly, thinking that because we live in a ‘free’ country, we are free. Nothing could be farther from the truth. There are countless forms of servitude other than slavery. Here are a few of the worst offenders, and my recommendations on how everyone (but especially young men, the future husbands and fathers of families) can pursue genuine freedom.
Sin
Sin is probably the first thought that comes to mind when Christians think about how we could be ‘enslaved’ in modern-day America. It’s true: sin is the ultimate slavery, because it prevents us from doing what is right, and it creates damaging habits of evil. As every alcoholic or drug addict knows, it’s impossible to enjoy genuine freedom when you instinctively do what isn’t in your best interests. For this reason, young men need to pursue genuine spiritual freedom. This begins with a heart-level knowledge of the Gospel, and it continues through the daily practice of spiritual growth and development.
Financial Debt
It is important to understand that while sin is a positive evil, most of the other forms of ‘servitude’ that I’m listing are not intrinsically evil. However, they can still take away our freedom, which is why we should avoid them if we are able. Proverbs tells us plainly that financial debt is a form of slavery: “The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.” (Pro 22:7)
It may not be easy to get out of debt, but it is certainly doable – and when you are out of it, you will be amazed at how wonderful it feels. Thankfully, there are many resources that can teach you how to get out of debt. If you are currently debt-free, but you are considering going into debt, then you need to give plenty of serious thought to whether it’s actually a good idea or not. Many people will say that it is ‘fine,’ but it is much more serious than most people like to admit. There are very few reasons why you should go into debt. If you do decide to get a loan to purchase a house (which you might not be able to purchase without debt), be sure to get plenty of advice first, then put down a large down-payment and work hard to pay the loan off early, if at all possible.
Entertainment Addictions
So many – especially young men – waste a phenomenal amount of time on entertainment. Whether we are talking about movies, social media, or (possibly the worst culprit of all) video games, these forms of entertainment are not (necessarily) wrong in themselves, but they waste huge amounts of time with almost nothing to show for it. Worst of all, they are addicting, meaning that they are a form of servitude.
Your late teens and twenties are the most valuable years of your life. During this period, your brain learns quickly, you experience much of the world, and you develop a whole worldview through gaining experiences. This means that excessive entertainment is doubly dangerous: not only does it waste precious time, but it robs young men of many of the valuable opportunities that they will never see again.
This is not an easy form of servitude to uproot. It demands serious, disciplined effort to overcome. Cancel your Netflix account, give away your X-Box, cancel your Steam account, and fill your time with more worthwhile activities. I’m not saying that it’s always necessary to take such drastic steps, but it may be – if this breaks your addiction to entertainment, the day will come when you will be heartily glad that you did this.
Time-Contract Jobs
What I’m referring to here are jobs that require you to work for the company for a set number of years. Sometimes these jobs will finance your education if you make a commitment to the company. It’s often possible to free yourself from the contract if you pay back a large amount of money to the company.
Despite the apparent advantages to these contracts (such as free education, in some situations), they are still a form of servitude, similar in many ways to financial debt, because they obligate a worker to stick with the company for an extended period of time. For those who are considering a contract like this, it’s worth thinking very carefully about whether this is a wise idea. What if you don’t like the company? What if God opens up unique opportunities that you can’t take, because of your contract? I’m not saying that you should never take these jobs – indeed, such a contract might be a way to avoid financial debt, in which case it’s better than the alternative. However, it’s still worth serious consideration, especially if the contract entails a huge financial penalty if you leave early.
For those who are already in such positions, I can’t recommend what you should do, because every situation is different. For some people, it may be worth paying the financial ‘penalty’ to exit the contract – others may be unable to do this, or may genuinely enjoy the job, and see no reason to leave. Common sense, along with advice from wise Christians, will provide the solution.
Company-Provided Health Insurance
It may seem odd that I list company-provided health insurance as a form of servitude, but I’ve actually seen it. I’ve known a number of people who were forced to work in a job they didn’t want, or more hours than they wanted, because they couldn’t afford a comparable health insurance policy to the one that was offered by their company. This is the definition of servitude: being forced to work for a certain company, or in a certain job, because of a single benefit that you need.
Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of solutions to this problem, but I can offer a few recommendations. First, prevention in the best medicine: if you take care of yourself, you are much less likely to use insurance. While you should still have some basic insurance, you don’t need the Cadillac version, if you are fairly healthy. Second, look into various healthcare sharing ministries. You can pay for these out-of-pocket, they are not tied to specific companies, and they don’t generally cost as much as actual insurance. Again, if you take care of yourself, then these ministries (where you often pay for routine care out-of-pocket) are much more likely to be a good idea. Third, use your money wisely and pursue a course of prudent investment, so that you have so money set aside for medical emergencies.
To be clear, I’m not recommending that you must avoid company-provided health insurance at all costs. For some people, it’s a real blessing and benefit. What I am instead encouraging is that you realize the way in which this single benefit often locks people into undesirable situations. Again, I’m writing primarily for young men, since they are the group that is most able to prepare in advance for these situations.
Nine-to-Five Jobs
Last on my list (and least ‘dangerous’) is the nine-to-five job. There’s nothing wrong with it, and it’s not something that you necessarily need to avoid. Still, there is a sense in which 9-5 jobs are a form of ‘serfdom’ in corporate America, especially when you work for big, impersonal corporations. While these jobs are generally steady and reliable, they aren’t particularly flexible. The biggest problem with these jobs is that they create a mindset: you need us, more than we need you. In fact, that’s generally true: the 9-5 worker is often just a cog in the corporate wheel. The danger is that (especially in our increasingly politicized world), workers are often at the mercy of their employer.
We can see this most especially in the ongoing ‘vaccine mandate’ situation. Many people chose to get the vaccine because their company demanded it, ‘or else…’. They did not have the ability to choose (or at least, they did not think that they did). I am not presently making a point about whether vaccine mandates are good or bad – I am only illustrating how companies create a form of servitude. Now replace ‘vaccine mandate’ with anything else, and you begin to see the danger. What if a company creates a ‘diversity mandate’ that requires employees to sign a form, committing to support unbiblical ethics? Those who have bought into the idea of a 9-5 job as a necessity for life are at the mercy of the corporations.
I am not recommending that you immediately quit your 9-5 job, or even avoid it as a form of occupation. Instead, I am recommending that you avoid the common American mindset, that it is absolutely necessary. Keep your job, but invest your money, set aside money in an emergency fund, and develop yourself vocationally so that you have more options if you ever have to find a different job. This way, if you do ever need to change jobs, or you get fired, it won’t induce panic. Ideally, you want to go to work because it benefits others, you enjoy it, and it provides money – but not because you absolutely have to. You don’t want to be ‘dependent’ on it.
Conclusion
“Were you a bondservant when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.)” (1 Corinthians 7:21)
Paul’s advice to Corinthian slaves was that freedom is not necessary, but it is ideal if it can be obtained. In the same way, those who have the ability to pursue freedom in more realms of life should take advantage of that if possible.
But why should you pursue freedom? Not so that you can live a life of ease, but so that you can take advantage of more opportunities to serve God and advance his kingdom. This means that we should think rightly about commitment: the desire for freedom is not a desire to avoid commitment. Although I’ve listed a number of commitments that you might want to avoid, it isn’t because you should avoid all commitments. When you have the freedom to pursue other things in life, then it is only right for you to commit to what is truly valuable, whether that be caring for an elderly family member, meeting with unbelievers for weekly Bible study, or leading a ministry in your church. Don’t avoid commitment – but pursue freedom so that you have the flexibility to commit to those things that truly matter.
Finally, a word for young men: I’ve written to you because, more than anyone, you have the ability to pursue freedom in your lives. If you do so, the freedom that you enjoy will have huge impacts on others – starting with your family (wife and children) and extending to other people in your life. With the freedom that you enjoy, you can invest more time in other people, and have an outsized impact on others for the sake of the kingdom. I’m pained to see so many young men wasting the best years of their life, binding themselves in chains of debt and addiction, oblivious to the opportunities that they are passing up. There is a lot more that I could say – especially about the importance of using your freedom to invest in others and advance the kingdom – but time (and space) are limited. At the least, I hope that this article inspires you to realize how much is in the balance, and to make an effort to attain true freedom in all aspects of life.
