23 June | Youth

My Life, My Rules

«Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth; walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes; but know that for all these God will bring you into judgment.» Ecclesiastes 11:9

Freedom is a valuable asset. Being free, however, does not mean living without limits or doing whatever you want. Fortunately, there are laws that govern society and life as a whole. In a way, crossing these limits leads to grave consequences. The saying “my life, my rules” is not true.

The body may be yours, but the rules are not. The body is yours, but the laws of thermodynamics are not. One day, you will grow old. The body may be yours, but the laws of physics are universal. Disrespecting the divine rules for the body is exceeding the limits. You are free to do so, but the consequences are in-evitable. If you do not eat properly and do not take care of your health, you will soon become sick. There is an order for everything; everything has a limit. Every action generates a reaction. It is a matter of time before everyone reaps the consequences of their actions.

You may believe you have control over your life and do with it whatever you want, but do not forget that you cannot control the consequences, whether good or bad. This reality impacts our relationship with freedom, as what we do with it will dictate the consequences of our actions. “Unconditional freedom” is nothing more than a great utopia. Anyone who wants to be free to do what they want will soon become a slave to what they did not expect. This is not freedom; it is debauchery.

You are free to relate to whoever, however you wish, but you will have to live with the consequences of that choice. You are free to smoke, drink, sleep late, stay up all night, use drugs, but soon you will have to fight against addictions, illnesses, and problems that this lifestyle brings. You can be free to enjoy every-thing the world has to offer, but do not forget that “the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23).

If you do not want to reap bad fruits in the future, start planting good seeds today. You are free to follow your heart’s desires but remember that it was God who gave you this gift, and He cannot be mocked. Whatever you sow, you will reap. It is your life, but God’s rules.