Freedom is one of the dearest and best relationship principles but not the highest principle. Freedom is similar to grace. Yet, it is not the most critical element for superior leadership and relationships. Relationships will suffer if freedom is not underneath at least one other principle or value.

Consider Gravity

Like freedom, gravity is subject to at least one higher principle because heavy planes can fly. How can those giant planes fly even though gravity is real? The one in the picture below weighs 1.41 million pounds when fully loaded! 

There is a higher principle, Bernoulli’s principle – which creates a lift force on an airfoil when energy is applied to the airfoil.

Bernoulli's Principle can be used to calculate the lift force on an airfoil. For example, if the air flowing past the top surface of an aircraft wing is moving faster than the air flowing past the bottom surface then Bernoulli's principle implies that the pressure on the surfaces of the wing will be lower above than below. This pressure difference results in an upward lift force. Whenever the distribution of speed past the top and bottom surfaces of a wing is known, the lift forces can be calculated. – Wikipedia; Bernoulli’s Principle, Real-world application

Why Is That Important? 

Love is to freedom like the Bernoulli Principle is to gravity.

Your freedom is subject to the highest principle – LOVE, especially when other people are involved. Love – “pursues their best patiently, kindly, sacrificially, and unconditionally.” Our good friend, Victoria Printz, once said, “Love trumps freedom.” What a great, simple statement to remember. Love does trump freedom – love is more important than freedom; it promises, promotes, and provides the responsible use of freedom.

Love asks for freedom to adopt a higher standard that limits your freedom. It also sets and respects boundaries, while freedom without love (irresponsible freedom) will ignore boundaries. It does not focus on ME or judge or complain about people, especially those near you. Love does not try to change people. Finally, love never manipulates or dominates others to make you feel better. Instead, love always promises, promotes, and provides freedom for others to relate to you or not. Love focuses on others – pursuing their best patiently, kindly, sacrificially, and unconditionally.

Galatians 5:13 (NKJV) – For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

Love Sets Boundaries

While love sets boundaries and respects others’ boundaries, it also creates consequences for crossing boundaries AND, at the same time, accepts that others are free to cross them. They are free to cross and free to experience the consequences.

• Is your child free to not clean their room? Yes, they are free to obey or disobey. AND if a clean room is a house rule, that is a boundary with probable consequences.
• Is your friend free to curse at you? Yes. You may not like it, AND it is their issue. AND you are free to associate with them or not.
• Is a person free to rob you? Yes, it is their choice to be evil or not. AND you may protect yourself, your property, and seek justice.
• Is a husband free to not love his wife? Yes. His wife may not like it, AND it is his issue.
• Is a wife free to not respect her husband? Yes. Her husband may not like it, AND it is her issue.

That may appear to be condoning bad behavior. Not true! Freedom is reality. When you ignore reality, you fuel your actions with opinion, subjectivity, and selfishness.