What do I mean by "FREE?"

 

Free does not mean a "Free Trial" or "In-App Purchase."

​"Free" to some means try it before you buy it. At times "free" means a version with limited features or for a limited time after which you will be charged.  I would bet that a lot of company profits come from people who forgot they gave their credit card information before they downloaded the "free version." This is why I always look for the small print "In-App Purchase" when I consider downloading a free app on my phone. 

 

Free does not mean "Free with Obligations." 

For some "free" most likely includes some sort of intangible obligations.  When someone gives us a card or gift for our birthday or anniversary, we often feel obligated to reciprocate with something of equal value.  This might be seen as free with expectations which doesn't sound free to me.  As a person of faith, I have seen people serve out of burden and obligation, but I have also seen people serve out of a heart of love and appreciation.  When I was a child, I did what my parents told me because, if I did not, I would get in trouble.  As a teen, I reluctantly obeyed out of a sense of obligation.  As an adult with children of my own, I began to understand my parents' sacrifice and found myself wanting to help them.   When I traveled home to visit with them, I found myself anticipating what I might do for them as a token of my gratitude, just to say, "Thanks, mom and dad, for all that you did for me." Thus, my services are given to others out of love and appreciation to my God and others who have graciously given to me.

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Free does not mean "Cheap."

To another person, "free" might imply something of little value.  Free is not cheap. What I give away comes from years of hard work, formal and informal education, successes and failures at work and home, and the blood, sweat, and tears of my life and relational experiences.  The attitude of some, "It must not be worth anything if it does not cost something," is why some gracious people who want to give an item or service away for "free" will charge for it so that value will be perceived by the purchaser.  Although I would consider myself somewhat of a capitalist, I have benefited from the free services of others.   These individuals gave to me freely of their time, talents, and wisdom and refused to take any remuneration.  My desire is to do the same with others.  

 

Free does not mean "Obsolete."

Finally, "free" to some might mean that what I am offering is used up or archaic. It's like  giving away stuff at the end of the garage sale because you don't want to haul the stuff back in the house or take it to the dump.  Many of us look at free services and see them as remnants of something that at one time was beneficial or profitable.  Let me assure you that you are not getting the left-overs of my life but wisdom that is an accumulation of my life experience.  It is not the remnants of an after-glow stage of life but the product of convergence.  Convergence is the  stage of life where a person gathers the resources from his life experience to invest in others. 

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FREE MEANS "FREE!"

So as we can see, "Free" in our world seldom, if ever, really means "FREE."   On Christmas Day I loved to watch the faces of my kids, when after our time of gift-giving, I presented them with the bill.  Just kidding, Christmas gifts have always been free at my house (at least to my kids).  It is the nature of a gift that it is free to the recipient.  I could argue that when it's not free, it's not a gift. Gifts given freely have no strings attached.  They have no cost to the recipient. They have no expectation other than to be used for the benefit and enjoyment of the one who receives them.  This is what free really means and what I mean by free.  As a person of faith for over 50 years, I have experienced free, unconditional gifts from God and others including a meaningful life.  I believe in the words of Jesus as he spoke to those he sent, "Freely you have been given, freely give."

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Let me anticipate a question you might have. "Martin, how do you make a living?"  Well, I make a  living  through retirement and others who, out of graciousness, have chosen to invest in me as I invest in others. Many of these are individuals that I have freely invested in and now want to help me help others.  I am not saying this to set you up for a future pitch for giving but as a recognition that there may be a day when you desire to.  If you do, it will be because you want to.  If you don't, it will not stop me from freely helping you as much as I can. 

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