Jesus stood in a Jewish gathering one Saturday and read from Isaiah. “God’s spirit is on me; he’s chosen me to preach the message of good news to the poor, sent me to announce pardon to prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to set the burdened and battered free, to announce, ‘This is God’s year to act!’” He sat down and said, “Yes. This is so!” (Luke 4:16-21)

I went to a convention and a retreat this summer. Amazingly, this verse was used in both places. There were a lot of speakers talking about releasing captives, freeing the oppressed. Some people talked about children sold into slavery, others talked about people caught up in war. I was disturbed by the stories and troubled about the state of the world.

While listening to the speakers, I made a surprising discovery. I discovered that I was also a captive, a prisoner. My prison didn’t have bars or locks and chains. I wasn’t being beaten or deprived. But I wasn’t free. I was suffering anger and resentment. I lacked joy. I was unable to forgive. I didn’t want to be around the people who should be the closest to me. My prison, the thing that kept me from being free, was culture.

Are you ever angry at other people? Do you get angry at other people because they don’t do things you think they should?

One speaker used the illustration of a one legged man racing. How fast would you expect him to run? Certainly not as fast as a two legged runner. You’d probably cheer him on just like we cheer the last contestants in suietaikai (school swim meet). Or like the race horse, Haru urara. The horse ran race after race and never won. But she didn’t give up. You would admire their perseverance. You would have compassion on them. But if the one legged man was racing on your relay team, how would you feel if he slowed up your team?

I read a story about youth sports in America. A handicapped boy was playing on a baseball team. He has Down’s syndrome and is not able to play as well as the others. One time, his team was playing a very good team. They were losing by a lot. But the boy’s team is consistent in cheering his efforts and he continues to try his best. The other team noticed how the boy’s teammates were supporting him. It was his turn to bat again. The pitcher, instead of pitching to strike him out, began to pitch so he could hit the ball. The other players on the opposing team also supported the boy’s efforts to play. They begin to play for the joy of playing, not for winning. The score became secondary and the teamwork and fun of playing with others became first.

I was raised a good Japanese-American. Like a Japanese, I was raised to be concerned about everyone else’s expectations of me. I was taught to strive harder because others are watching. I was trained to excel because others expect it. When I feel the pressure to perform, it makes me anxious. And the anxiety makes me short tempered. And when I’m on a team with one legged runners, I get mad that the one legged runners don’t run faster!

I know that Christians are supposed to love others, to accept others with their shortcomings. I know that Christians are supposed to forgive others and be gracious. I wanted to do those things. But when I thought about “not winning”, not living up to the expectations of others, all I could do was get mad. I was burdened, I was captive.

This summer, 2 friends prayed for me.

Jesus proclaimed my freedom. He said “This is God’s year to act!” God is more powerful than the expectations others have. I am free of the expectations of others when I live to please Jesus. Being on Jesus’ team in like being on the baseball team where everyone plays for the joy of playing. I still play my best, I still strive hard. But now I feel the freedom to cheer my team mates instead of resenting them!

You can have freedom in Jesus, too. You can be free from anger and resentment. Or maybe you feel like the one-legged runner and can’t accept yourself. Jesus is here to set you free. Let me pray for you!