Liberty is both a gift and a calling

By Julie Ulrich and Mareda Pierce

Guest Columnists

Liberty is not an abstract idea reserved for history books or political debate. It is lived, practiced, protected and cherished. 

Our Constitution begins with an acknowledgment of order, purpose and responsibility recognizing that liberty thrives not in chaos, but within law, structure and moral restraint. True liberty allows us to serve God and one another freely, and it flourishes when responsibility walks hand-in-hand with freedom.

Scripture reminds us in Galatians 5:1, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” Liberty, as the Bible describes, is not license to do whatever we please, but the freedom to live rightly, to choose goodness and to walk in truth. Law does not diminish liberty; it protects it. When our moral compass, worship, speech and family life are safeguarded, liberty is strengthened for all.

Our founders understood this deeply at the annunciation of the Declaration of Independence, the now known “Liberty Bell” called all the inhabitants of the land to hear the declaration be read and proclaim, “We hold these truths to be self-evident.” 

By declaring liberty, they affirmed that our rights do not come from government, but from God. Liberty was recognized as a God-given right -- one that must be proclaimed, defended and passed on.

Proclamation of liberty reaches far beyond civic life. Liberty has the power to free people from bondage of addiction, shame, fear, anxiety, anger and deep hurt. Jesus declared in Luke 4:18 that He came “to proclaim freedom for the captives.” Liberty brings healing to minds and hearts, restoring dignity and hope. We must remember that we have the power and responsibility to proclaim freedom in our own lives and in the lives of others.

But liberty does not sustain itself. It endures because others stand watch. Often, that watch is quiet and unseen, carried by military members, veterans and their families, and by generations who have answered the call to serve. Liberty is protected by mothers and fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers, brothers, sisters, neighbors and friends, many who serve without recognition or rest. Americans can live freely because others live alert.

Gratitude, then, is not merely a feeling. It is an obligation. Gratitude anchors liberty in humility. Teaching our children gratitude and responsibility is an act of love and an act of preservation. When we instill respect for freedom and accountability for our choices, we strengthen the foundation of liberty for generations to come.

The fruit of the Spirit, described in Galatians 5:22–23 as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, reveals what liberty looks like when it is lived well. These fruits guide our daily lives and reflect the kind of freedom that builds communities, families and a nation.

As we approach America’s 250th birthday, we are reminded that liberty is both a gift and a calling. Two hundred fifty years of freedom have required vigilance, sacrifice and faith. Liberty asks something of each of us not only to cherish it, but to use it wisely, to defend it faithfully and to live it courageously.

The Declaration closes with a powerful truth, appealing to “the Supreme Judge of the world” and pledging “our sacred honor.” That same call echoes today.

Liberty lives within us. It is God-given, enduring and unifying. As Americans, we are one family bound by shared responsibility, shared gratitude and shared hope. Let us live worthy of the liberty entrusted to us and proclaim liberty throughout the land.

Mareda Pierce is a resident of Monticello, and Julie Ulrich lives in Olin.