“The future must see the broadening of human rights throughout the world. People who have glimpsed freedom will never be content until they have secured it for themselves.” — Eleanor Roosevelt

Seventy-six years ago this month — September 1948 — Eleanor Roosevelt gave an address in Paris at the Sorbonne to introduce the forthcoming deliberations on a Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It would take more than eighty-five working sessions to develop the final draft. Eleanor’s bluntness and outspoken advocacy, particularly against Soviet delaying tactics, made her frustrations public, as she once noted, 

“One would admire Soviet persistence in sticking to their point if it were not for the fact that so often the point is not worth sticking to.”

Eleanor Roosevelt’s profound thoughts on human rights reflect her extensive experiences during the tumultuous periods of World War I and World War II. These global conflicts exposed her to the dire need for human freedom and the undeniable right to live with dignity — a principle she ardently championed.

During World War I, Eleanor engaged in volunteer work at the American Red Cross and Navy hospitals, witnessing firsthand the devastating impact of war on soldiers and civilians alike. These encounters deepened her compassion and understanding of the essential need for human rights, forming the foundation of her later advocacy.

World War II further solidified Eleanor’s commitment to human rights. 

As First Lady, she traveled extensively, meeting with troops and seeing the war’s effects on different populations. These experiences strengthened her resolve to promote universal human rights, leading to her pivotal role in drafting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

It is crucial to recognize that, in truth, human rights are not bestowed by governments or international bodies. The Bible teaches that God is the ultimate giver of human rights, including freedom. Unlike a government, which might grant and revoke rights based on policies, God endowed us with inalienable rights, rooted in our creation in His image.

In the Bible, God gives humanity the gift of free will, allowing us to make our own decisions. 

This gift of freedom is not an invitation to dominate or subjugate others, but rather a call to serve one another in love and humility, much like Jesus did. Jesus’ actions, especially during the Last Supper when He washed His disciples’ feet, embody this principle perfectly. Although He was the Son of God, He chose to serve others, demonstrating a profound model of humility and love.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death — even death on a cross. Philippians 2:3–8

In stark contrast to the divine blueprint of freedom and dignity that God envisions for humanity, we witness a troubling tendency in the present age of struggles to dominate. These struggles often manifest as efforts to control, oppress, and manipulate in opposition to God’s desire for us to live in harmony, exercising our God-given freedom.

As we approach the anniversary of Eleanor Roosevelt’s address, it is a timely reminder of the way the principles she championed align with Biblical teachings. Roosevelt’s life and advocacy echo the call for us to rise above worldly conflicts. As followers of Christ, we are called to embody the principles of service and humility that Jesus exemplified, thereby reflecting the true nature of God’s freedom.