While I know the border crisis is a very sensitive issue in our world and many have divided thoughts, some more extreme than others, so I want us to take a fresh look at boundaries. I have no intentions of solving the problems and policies at our nation’s borders in this series nor do I plan to give much in personal thoughts on the matter. I simply want to explore some details surrounding what this current affair has to say about implementing personal boundaries.
According to DHS.gov, the role of certain agencies is to “protect our borders FROM the illicit movement of weapons, drugs, contraband, and people, while promoting lawful entry and exit, and lawful trade” as this effort “is essential to homeland security, economic prosperity, and national sovereignty.”
These entities have an explicit mission when it comes to enforcing the boundary lines which have a specific purpose. The focus seems to be on what they are keeping OUT, but the one thing I want to note, could probably go without saying, is critical for our understanding.
The WHAT that is contained within our borders is what makes the boundary lines WORTH protecting. It's been said this way: in order to say NO, you have to know what you are saying YES to!
Before going any further I want to say there is a difference in creating boundaries out of fear versus freedom. When we are driven by fear of the external, we are concerned about the outside and the boundary itself. This is a miserable state of existence and offers NO PEACE, only anxiety. But when we establish the borderlines from a place of, and for freedom, we flourish! We come alive and learn to fully embrace the world within. We can explore, take risks, play, grow, and rest, without FEAR.
It's like a fish in a tank or a kid inside the yard. It may feel restrictive or seem burdensome, but the truth is the boundary means LIFE, is FREEDOM.
This comes from KNOWING the WHAT we are protecting. And I think there are 3 things that the homeland security understands they are protecting: peace, people, and prosperity.
We need to come to terms with the WHAT in our own lives before we start throwing up walls and locking down borders. We must discover WHAT is worth fighting for! We are certainly not a country having completely different needs as unique individuals that possess souls, but there are some parallels.
Peace – wholeness, contentment. Many people live their whole life chasing this, running from place to place, person to person, or promotion to promotion, hoping to find that thing that settles the spirit, but never find it. However, some find it, and once found, it is absolutely worth every effort to therefore guard against. Scripture teaches that it is found in Christ and this discovery leads to peace that makes no sense (Phil 4:7). And it says how this GUARDS our hearts. Have you found it?
People – community, unity. We were created with community in our DNA and our life is best spent at the cash register of others. We often find that we live as a mission of ONE person and pursuit, protecting ourselves only. When this happens, the walls we construct, and the boundaries established only block us from experiencing true joy and real peace (that we are seeking all along). Genuine community is worth the expense of constructing appropriate boundaries to create and protect the members within it.
Prosperity – thriving. It is most often defined as success and frequently tied to wealth and certainly identifies power. The financial health and sovereignty of a country is without a doubt of critical value and should be protected in order to keep its inhabitants well, but it cannot be the driving force as a human. To thrive is to grow or develop well, to flourish. Think of a garden that is well cultivated, lush, full of color and produce. Jesus came so that we could have “life to the full” or a flourishing life (John 10:10).
Finally, scripture says that we have a “treasure” inside of a very fragile container (2 Cor 4:7). And when we come to terms with this, we will go to great lengths to protect it. Do you know what you are worth? Do you know what’s inside of you? Do you know that your wholeness is WORTH protecting and fighting for?
As we dig into more conversation about boundaries through this series, may we discover more fully what it is we have that is worth putting up guardrails in order to protect!
#BorderPatrol
#WhatsInside
#RestoringWholenessOfLife
Brett
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