EVERYDAY OBJECTS
«A faithful witness does not lie, but a false witness will utter lies» (Proverbs 14:5).
We had seen it all our lives in movies and pictures. Now we were about to get on the ferry that would take us to Liberty Island m New York Bay, where the famous Statue of Liberty is located, and to Ellis Island, where the Immigration Museum is.
In just thirty years, at the beginning of the 20th century, more than 12,000,000 people had arrived in search of freedom and a more promising future. Immigrants saw the statue in the distance as they were arriving, and it was like a symbol of welcome for their overwhelmed hearts.
We, too, came that day from afar and hoped to climb to the crown, but we found that it was closed and being remodeled. There was not much to do on the island and the place that looked so wonderful was actually very small and somewhat boring. We had no choice but to wait until the ferry arrived again to take us to the city.
In the restaurant, they gave us some large gold coms with the image of the head in relief. As a national icon, the Statue appears on American coins and stamps. However, we were only getting a replica.
All that day, I thought it was a little empty and somewhat false. I have nothing against the monument itself, of course, but it made me reflect.
So many millions of people visit it every year, when m reality, it is a symbol of a freedom that in this world does not become real. So many coins are reproduced falsely as free souvenirs for visitors. So often we seek freedom and authenticity in fleeting and vain things.
Speaking of coins, it might be good to remember that when it comes to determining whether a coin is counterfeit, it is essential to know the original. The easiest to confuse will be the ones that most closely resemble the actual version.
The enemy is cunning and will seek every means to make us believe things that are wrong, convince us that we have achieved illusory things, and make us forget the original design.
Let us make sure today that we know what free homeland we want to reach, and that the common currency we use is that of the right heavenly value.
