On Making Rules and Loving Neighbors

So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?” 6 He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites as it is written: “‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’” ~ Mark 7:5-7

Humanity has this propensity for making its own rules. We like to tell other people how to live. How they should raise their children. Deal with marital conflict. How even to worship and honor God. By the time Jesus stepped into history, the first century religious system of Judaism had lots of human-made” rules. How far you could walk on the Sabbath. How often your hands needed to be washed. And many many other rules and laws. The problem is that no one could live up to all the man-made rules and laws. And most importantly all these rules and regulations were not biblical nor were they inspired by God. They were man made.

Ironically, we have many man made rules today. Should we sing hymns or choruses? Should it be only piano and organ Sunday morning or can we have drums, guitars, keyboards, and cow bells? Is it suits and ties only or are Hawaiian shirts allowed? Should elders rule the church and the pastor, or should the congregation vote on everything? Can only republicans be Christians?

Somewhere along the way we lost sight of loving one another as Christ loves us. I think sometimes we look at church as though we are looking in a mirror. It’s what I want. It’s what I am comfortable with. Maybe we should trade our mirror for a window. A window that gives me a glimpse into God’s mercy, grace, and kindness. A window that allows the light of his love to shine into my soul and change me from the inside out. He loves us in our differences. He loves us and wants us to love Him with all our hearts, souls, mind, and strength. Then he wants me to love my neighbor and even love myself. Quite honestly, I can’t do it. But he can do it through me.

Lord Jesus once again I give you me. All of me. I admit that in my core I am selfish. I want it my way. Help me to surrender to having it your way. As someone once said, help me to surrender to Your will; so that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with You forever in the next. In Jesus name amen.