Written By: Charron Monaye

“And that’s the best part, George, being free. Can’t nothing be better than that.”

Those words from the television series Roots carry a meaning far beyond the moment they were spoken. They force us to confront a question that is uncomfortable, personal, and necessary:

If freedom had a price tag attached to it, could you afford it?

In episode 5, Chicken George was a talented and successful cockfighter who earned a living unlike many enslaved people of his time. Under certain circumstances, freedom could be purchased. With a willing “massa” and enough money, a person could buy a document known as a bill of sale. George had the ability to earn money, and he enjoyed the reward of his success. He bought gifts for his wife, Matilda, and his mother, Kizzy. He dressed well, embraced the lifestyle of a “sporting man,” and created a life that reflected pride, comfort, and achievement.

And who could blame him?

After a lifetime of being denied basic freedoms, experiencing dignity and the ability to provide for loved ones felt like a victory. The clothes, celebrations, and comforts represented something deeper: the feeling that he had mattered.

But comfort and freedom are not the same.

That lesson became clear when George reunited with his old friend, Marcellus. Unlike George, Marcellus had sacrificed in the present to secure his future. He saved his money, purchased his freedom, and held a bill of sale that gave him something priceless: the ability to control his own destiny. When George learned that Marcellus had saved more than $2,000 to buy his freedom, he was forced to confront a difficult truth. While he had been using his earnings to enjoy life, his friend had been using his earnings to change his life. The difference was not income. It was vision. One man was paying for comfort. The other was investing in freedom. Although this story comes from a painful chapter in history, the lesson remains relevant today:

Freedom requires preparation.

We may not be purchasing a bill of sale, but many people are working toward a different kind of freedom, the freedom to choose.

• The freedom to leave a job that drains you.
• The freedom to spend more time with family.
• The freedom to start a business.
• The freedom to finally travel and enjoy the experiences of life.
• The freedom to pursue purpose without being trapped by financial obligations.

The question is not whether you work hard or whether you deserve more. The question is: Are you building toward freedom, or are you only funding survival?

Ask yourself:

• Are you saving for the life you say you want?
• Are you investing in yourself?
• Are you reducing debt that limits your choices?
• Are you creating opportunities beyond your paycheck?
• Are you preparing for the moment when you can make decisions because you want to, not because you have no other option?

Now, don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with enjoying the rewards of your labor. You deserve moments of happiness. You deserve to celebrate your accomplishments. But there is a difference between enjoying today and sacrificing tomorrow. Chicken George was not wrong for wanting nice things. He was not wrong about caring for the people he loved. His lesson was that comfort can sometimes distract us from the bigger goal. A life of luxury is not the same as a life of liberty. A bigger house, a nicer car, designer clothes, and expensive experiences may bring temporary satisfaction. True freedom comes from having options. It comes from owning your time, your decisions, and your future.

Imagine someone walking up to you today and said:

“The life you have been praying for is available. The business you’ve dreamed about. The financial peace you’ve wanted. The ability to live on your own terms. The freedom you’ve asked for.” Then they handed you the price. Could you pay for it? Today, that cost may not be determined by someone else. It may be determined by preparation, discipline, sacrifice, and intentional choices.

• For some, freedom costs savings.
• For others, it costs consistency.
• For some, it requires taking a risk.
• For others, it requires letting go of habits, mindsets, or situations that keep them stuck.

We often pray for opportunities, blessings, and breakthroughs. We ask God to open doors. But when those doors open, will we have the resources, courage, and discipline to walk through them? Many people want financial freedom but have no savings. They want to leave their jobs but have no plans. They want to build something of their own but have not invested in developing the skills required. Dreams are powerful, but dreams without action can become missed opportunities.

The lesson from Chicken George’s story was not that freedom was impossible. It was that wanting freedom and being ready to pay for freedom are two different things. Although Massa Moore initially denied ever giving George his freedom, his circumstances eventually changed. After leaving slavery behind to pursue cockfighting in England, George entered a new environment where he had greater opportunities to earn, save, and plan for his future. Through that change, he eventually became free. His storyline reminds us that sometimes freedom not only requires desire, but also opportunity, and the courage to change our circumstances.

So make it personal: If tomorrow you received the opportunity, you have been praying for, what would it cost?

• Would you need six months of savings?
• Would you need to eliminate debt?
• Would you need better credit?
• Would you need to relocate from your comfort zone or your “host” of responsibilities?
• Would you need another source of income?
• Would you need to finally launch the idea you have been carrying for years?

The truth is, freedom is expensive. But staying stuck has a cost too. So ask yourself: If the price of your dream life was placed in front of you today, could you pay it? If the answer is no, let that question become your motivation. Start building. Start saving. Start learning. Start preparing. Because freedom may not come with a warning. And when the opportunity arrives, the goal is not to wish you were ready.

The goal is to already have the payment waiting.

Your freedom has a price. The question is: Are you prepared to pay it?