16Jun16

Ephesians 4:32 ESV
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

There's a story of a man who was imprisoned in a dungeon for many years. He had been kept in place by a ball and chain clamped to his ankle which rubbed his skin raw and limited his movement. When his time was served the jailer came and unlocked the shackle, opened the gate, and told the prisoner he was free to go. The prisoner rubbed his sore ankle, reached down and picked up the ball and chain, and hobbled out of the prison carrying the weight with him. When he got out of the gate he exclaimed that he was free from his bonds and continued his life. Years later the jailer saw the prisoner on the street, hunched over, still clutching his ball and chain, and hobbling. The jailer approached the prisoner and asked, "I released you years ago. Why are you still carrying that ball and chain?"

The man replied, "It is to remind me of what I have been through and to never make that same mistake again."

To this the jailer said, "That is a good lesson to learn but, you served the shackle for that lesson, now you are just a slave to the ball and chain. Drop it and you will finally be free."

"I'm free!" The prisoner indignantly replied. "I'm no longer your prisoner!"

"No, now you are your own."

What are you carrying today?