This is one of the most popular songs ever, which means to say there must be something in it that touches people. The story is simple enough – two drifters hook up with each other, one drawing strength and consolation from the other, and now, when the relationship has ended and he/she finds himself abandoned, she sings this song as a lament.
And, of course, this kind of thing happens all the time. And a lot of songs have been written about it. What makes ”Me and Bobby McGee” so special, then?
Could it be this line? ”Freedom´s just another word for nothing left to lose…”
Is this how people feel about freedom?
That it´s such an elusive thing, so difficult to reach and keep, that nothing but losing everything is enough? That only if you are willing to be broke and lonesam, down on your luck and down on everything else, you can hope to be free?
The song gives a drifter´s point of wiew – or is ment to do so.
A drifter is often a person who avoids responsibilities, fears to get entangled in the small world of regular job, landlord, bills, family… all those things that he thinks would cut his precious freedom to pieces.
Is there maybe in this sense a little drifter hiding down inside us all? Is that why we embrace a song like this one?
God´s picture of freedom is altogether different, even if some elements might look similar.
Freedom doesn´t depend on having or lacking all the stuff mentioned above.
The Apostle Paul says he can do with it and without it – no big deal.
Jesus tells some people to leave all behind and follow Him – but that doesn´t mean being abandoned, it means being invited to the closest fellowship that there is!
God doesn´t free us of all responsibilities, on the contrary, the closer to Him we get, the more aware of the need to be and stay committed we get, but freedom, real freedom, is in the ability to say yes to the right kind of commitment and responsibility, and to say no with capital NO:s to everything else.
Jesus doesn´t make us prisoners or slaves!
He doesn´t take everything away, leave us emptyhanded, and then He says ”This is freedom!”
Freedom is to be invited to follow and obey freely, of own free will, the best Master that there is.
You´ve got to serve somebody, you see.
You are always serving somebody.
Man is not created to be lord, he is a servant.
You can serve the Lord, or you can serve the devil, but you have to serve somebody.
In choosing between two masters, why should anybody choose the worse?
Maybe if the worse one is a great liar, who can turn one´s head until it is too late to turn away..
I have chosen freedom with Jesus, and I have never regretted it!
Freedom´s not another word for nothing left to lose, freedom is getting rid of things that are less worth in order to gain what is most worth of all!