This statement was made by a youngster who was just reprimanded by a lifeguard. A group of young boys had entered the swimming pool and were splashing, thrashing, laughing, and yelling. This escalated to the point where they began bodily lifting each other out of the water and seeing how far they could throw them across the pool. Of course, the lifeguard blew his whistle and informed them that such behavior was not allowed.
Obviously, the boy thought that the swimming pool rules were only to ruin his fun! He wasn’t able to reason beyond that to realize that the rules were actually to keep him safe and protect him and others from harm.
As I reflected upon this incident, I couldn’t help but compare how this way of thinking carries over into so many areas of our lives. We enjoy laws – until we don’t.
Rules and laws are great as long as they are for everyone else but us. But let them infringe on our fun, happiness, or freedoms and it’s another story. When someone speeds by us on the highway and then we see them pulled over a few miles down the road, we smirk to ourselves and think it serves them right. However, if we are late for an appointment and going over the speed limit to try to make up time and get pulled over, then we fume. We always seem to try to justify our own sins.
Now, I realize that some man-made laws lean towards the ridiculous and are outdated, but at the time they were made, it was probably with good intent. Most rules and laws were implemented to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the majority, as well as the individual.
Can you imagine living in a world with no laws or rules? It would be total anarchy! Everyone doing whatever he/she desired, regardless of how it affected anyone else!
Although we can appreciate the safety and order societal laws bring to us, we do not do as well when it comes to embracing God’s laws, which are for our spiritual health and well-being. We are convinced that God wants to be a spoil sport and ruin all of our fun, freedom, and happiness, when all He really has in mind for us is true joy, spiritual freedom, and the blessed hope of eternity with Him!
If we could only see our lives through God’s eyes, we would see the loving care He has for us as His dearly cherished children and how much He wants what is best for us. Any rules He makes is only to ensure our soul’s salvation and safety that we may make it to our final destination – Heaven!
If only we could have a heart like the psalmist when he wrote Psalm 119. It is the longest chapter and is found in the middle of God’s Word. Almost every verse is about appreciation, thankfulness, and delight in God’s Word, laws, and attributes.
At this season of Thanksgiving, I am thankful for God’s laws!!!
Psalm 119:97 O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.
Obviously, the boy thought that the swimming pool rules were only to ruin his fun! He wasn’t able to reason beyond that to realize that the rules were actually to keep him safe and protect him and others from harm.
As I reflected upon this incident, I couldn’t help but compare how this way of thinking carries over into so many areas of our lives. We enjoy laws – until we don’t.
Rules and laws are great as long as they are for everyone else but us. But let them infringe on our fun, happiness, or freedoms and it’s another story. When someone speeds by us on the highway and then we see them pulled over a few miles down the road, we smirk to ourselves and think it serves them right. However, if we are late for an appointment and going over the speed limit to try to make up time and get pulled over, then we fume. We always seem to try to justify our own sins.
Now, I realize that some man-made laws lean towards the ridiculous and are outdated, but at the time they were made, it was probably with good intent. Most rules and laws were implemented to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the majority, as well as the individual.
Can you imagine living in a world with no laws or rules? It would be total anarchy! Everyone doing whatever he/she desired, regardless of how it affected anyone else!
Although we can appreciate the safety and order societal laws bring to us, we do not do as well when it comes to embracing God’s laws, which are for our spiritual health and well-being. We are convinced that God wants to be a spoil sport and ruin all of our fun, freedom, and happiness, when all He really has in mind for us is true joy, spiritual freedom, and the blessed hope of eternity with Him!
If we could only see our lives through God’s eyes, we would see the loving care He has for us as His dearly cherished children and how much He wants what is best for us. Any rules He makes is only to ensure our soul’s salvation and safety that we may make it to our final destination – Heaven!
If only we could have a heart like the psalmist when he wrote Psalm 119. It is the longest chapter and is found in the middle of God’s Word. Almost every verse is about appreciation, thankfulness, and delight in God’s Word, laws, and attributes.
At this season of Thanksgiving, I am thankful for God’s laws!!!
Psalm 119:97 O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.
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