Throughout mankind’s history there has been one constant, overwhelming desire, and that is for freedom. Regardless if it is freedom from tyranny, oppression, violence or just peace of mind, we all desire it. God has put it in us the desire for it above all else. It has been said the first law of human nature is that of self-preservation, I disagree with this and say that the first law is the desire to be free.
We see in the headlines how people are willing to risk their lives for freedom. In the sixties we saw how thousands of people fled Cuba, in any type of boat they could find, when Fidel Castro came into power. Many of them drowned within sight of Florida. Before the ‘Iron Curtain‘ fell hundreds of people lost their lives trying to escape over the wall from East Berlin. For many it was not so much that if they stayed they would be killed, but under communism, they would lose their freedom.
Today In the Middle East millions of people are fleeing their homes in Syria, Iraq and Lebanon in rafts to get to Europe, some drowning before reaching their goal. Others decide to go over the dangerous mountain trails to reach Turkey. They know that even when they do reach freedom they will become refugees, homeless and jobless depending on the humanitarian goodwill of the host country that they find themselves in, but, they are free. Yes, they are trying to escape the war, but, the underlying reason that they are running is the need to escape ISIS. The Islamic State that wants to control their lives and minds, by any means necessary.
They want to be free!