“Independence is at its best when it yields to acts of love from imperfect people.” Sara
Consider the lilies of the field… Matt 6:28
Consider the lilies of the field… Matt 6:28
“Independence is at its best when it yields to acts of love from imperfect people.” Sara
thedailylily.com 
Is it that in humbling ourselves to receive the kind deeds of others that we
are promoted in spirit and stature?
This is a very profound quote and I don’t pretend to know its depth, ramifications and interpretation.
But some thoughts: Perhaps a truly independent person does not have the need to control when, how and from whom love is to be received because they are free from preconceived notions of ‘acts of love’ and ‘imperfect people’. Perhaps their trust for their needs is independent of everyone and everything else but their Source, Himself, Jesus Christ and, therefore, they can humbly receive from Him the way and the ones He chooses to use to bless them with acts of love.
I think “independent-adjective” (see Dictionary note below:) can’t get much better for anyone. As MG said, we are promoted in spirit and stature. Debi sees control is not being independent. I see independence being the difference between leader and dictator. One that sets you free to live free as in Galatians 5. I see independence as freedom, liberty. But, as we continue our study of this we will see more and more how independence depends on? “…His favor is for a lifetime…” (Psalm 30:5, AMP). Definition of favor:will you do me a favor? service, good turn, good deed, kindness, act of kindness, courtesy. antonym disservice.
1 an independent country self-governing, self-ruling, self-determining, sovereign, autonomous, free, nonaligned. antonym subservient, dependent.
2 two independent groups of biologists verified the results separate, different, unconnected, unrelated, dissociated, discrete. antonym connected.
3 independent schools private, private-sector, non-state-run, fee-paying; privatized, denationalized. antonym public, state-run.
4 her grown-up, independent children self-sufficient, self-supporting, self-reliant, standing on one’s own two feet. antonym dependent.
5 independent advice impartial, unbiased, unprejudiced, neutral, disinterested, uninvolved, uncommitted, detached, dispassionate, objective, nonpartisan, nondiscriminatory. antonym biased.
6 an independent spirit freethinking, free, individualistic; unconventional, maverick, bold, unconstrained, unfettered, untrammeled.
antonym orthodox, constrained.
ummmm…..I see one needs to be Holy independent and then they become Holy dependent…for without God one can not even be independent for they are dependent upon HIM….dj
Good thinking Dorothy! And, when we get the equation right we become whole.
Or in other words, Sara, then we become Wholly holy!
I’m seeing from comments above that living a holy life is living a life independent of sin, not a slave to sin as we depend on Him. As #6 in Sara’s definition says, unfettered, free. Individualistic yet a part of God’s family.
John 8:34-36: “Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
It is for FREEDOM..independence from….. freedom from sin’s grasp, freedom from embroiling passions, freedom from the world’s dictates, freedom from the lust of the flesh and the pride of the life, free to open our eyes and see what GOD means and has for us in HIS WORD…..It is for freedom from and for all that….THAT CHRIST HAS SET US FREE.
I love this quote from you: Independence is at its best when it yields to acts of love from imperfect people. Today I felt the love from a number of people who don’t know know me. I had lost something and they found it. Each person in the chain had searched and at last they presented me with the lost item. They may have been imperfect but they showed acts of love orchestrated by the Holy Spirit who moves freely bringing glory to God the Father. I will tell you I was glorifying the Lord for the find and praying with my friend who had prayed for the situation and the people who found the item. Praise God!
The apostle Paul who showed much love to many people acknowledged that even he was imperfect. Yet he often exhorted people to follow his example. By yielding to his teachings of the Lord Jesus, independent people were yielding to Christ. He wrote:
“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. ” Phil 3:12-14
That’s true, Debi! Paul wrote, Follow me as I follow Christ. The Lord has exhorted us to be holy. That is, set apart, dedicated and submitted to Him. When we see fellow Christians walking the straight and narrow path that leads to the Kingdom, it encourages us to endeavor even more to put down our fleshly desires and take up our cross of selflessness…(ouch!!!)…and follow suite.
A Valentine story in poetry.
To Debby
Not long ago, I had strayed from the path
Of all that is good and is right.
I found myself lost so deep in the woods,
Alone and so cold every night.
I’d given up hope of finding my way
To the path of Jesus and love.
And deep in the mire, I felt all was lost,
Then a light shined down from above.
And the light from your heart raised my sad head,
As it greeted my outstretched arm.
Then taking my hand, you showed me the way,
To the path, and kept me from harm.
Now holding my hand, we walk down that path,
God knows my hand trembles at times,
But Deb, don’t you know, if you don’t let me go,
The sound you’ll be hearing is chimes.
Written by William R. Waterman, Jr. 1989
Valentines day for Debby Criswell
Written by my son, Bill, Jr. He later married Debby and at this writing, they have one son, Jacob Tyler Waterman. Since this writing they have added twin boys to their family.
Bill, what a great love story. It parallels what we have been speaking about concerning Paul’s admonition. “Follow me as I follow Christ” Debby led the way when Bill, Jr. needed someone to help him find his way back to Jesus! How wonderful!
Thanks for sharing your life poem. It is love in action with acts of kindness that truly touches the heart.
We may be independent to the world, but we will always be dependent on God. Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own undestanding. God has given us everything we need to be independent to the world. 2 Peter 1:3 By his devine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have recieved all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. By depending on God we become independent of the world. Love is just a four letter word until action is connected to it. Then it becomes the act of love. Love is God and it requires work. Love your brothers and sisters, love your neighboro….love is action. God’s imperfect children get perfect instructions from God holy Word. So by being dependent only on God we can have perfect love by being knowledgable and obedient to God perfect Word…..
Chickenfarmer, great thoughts.
chickenfarmer, I like your explanation of independent and dependent and
‘By depending on God we become independent of the world’. If we are holding onto God with our whole being clinging to Him, then we would have to let go of the ‘world’ that we had both arms wrapped around…can’t hold onto both at the same time.
Right, Chickenfarmer! Love is a choice that demand action. God so loved the word that HE CHOSE to take action and SEND Jesus Christ our wonderful Savior. In this God , God is Choice God is Action, because GOD IS LOVE>
Thanks Chickenfarmer, “we will always be dependent on God”, and this makes us “independent of the world.”