<\/p>\n
\u201cLiberty exists in proportion to wholesome restraint\u201d (Daniel Webster).<\/p>\n
IF WE THINK FREEDOM WOULD MEAN THE ABSENCE OF ANY RESTRAINTS ON OUR BEHAVIOR, WE\u2019RE HEADED STRAIGHT TOWARD ONE OF LIFE\u2019S GREATEST DISAPPOINTMENTS. It\u2019s nothing but naive to think we can indulge every whim and desire in any way we please, express ourselves with reckless abandon, disregard the rules of every game we play in, and still be remembered for having made a worthy contribution to the world. Listen to me: life doesn\u2019t work that way, and if we think it does, we are bound to have our hearts broken sooner or later \u2014 and in the process, break the hearts of many others.<\/p>\n
It doesn\u2019t matter what kind of power is under consideration, whether in nature or in human relationships, power has to be restrained. Out-of-control power is never anything but destructive, and the greater the power, the more damage it will do if it\u2019s not regulated, balanced by other forces, and made to stay in bounds.<\/p>\n
If raw, unrestrained power did as much good as any other kind, a strong boxer could win every bout by rushing into the ring and throwing as many wild punches as possible. But as anybody knows who\u2019s ever been in a boxing match (or any difficult human situation), merely flailing away doesn\u2019t get the job done. To keep from getting your head knocked off, you\u2019ve got to husband your strength, restrain your impulses, and keep your punches under control.<\/p>\n
In the living of a human life, there is no way around our need for helpful restraints. We need both kinds: external<\/em> restraints (laws, rules, requirements) and internal<\/em> restraints (training, discipline, self-control). We even need to have some friends who\u2019ll restrain us. We need these things because without them, we\u2019d often go too far.<\/p>\n Rarely is it wise or beneficial to do, say, or think all that might be done, said, or thought. More is not always better, and there\u2019s an undeniable beauty in things like reserve and understatement. So we need not only strength but also wisdom. We need not only freedom but also government. For those times when we can\u2019t see for ourselves that \u201cenough is enough,\u201d we need the help of limits, those signposts of various kinds that simply say, \u201cHere, but no further.\u201d<\/p>\n Ah, men do not know how much strength is in poise, Gary Henry \u2013 WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com<\/p>\n
That he goes the farthest who goes far enough.
(James Russell Lowell)<\/p>\n