Why All The Rules

Pastor Aaron's picture
Submitted by Pastor Aaron on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 12:42pm

 As the father of four wonderful children, I often utter the phrases, “No, you can’t do that,” or “No, you can’t go there” (except with my daughter, but that's another story). From my children’s perspective, I say “no” regardless of what they want to do.

As children mature into the teen years, they often rebel against their parents’ rules. I recently overheard a conversation between two teenage girls. One of the girls said, “My parents don’t want me to do anything fun, they are making the rules up for their own pleasure.”

If parents wanted to make life easier for themselves, they would simply not have rules. No rules equals no disappointment, no constant monitoring, etc. So, why do parents have rules?

Best Interests
Looking back over my childhood, and as I experience the feelings associated with being a father myself, I realize more everyday how my parents went out of their way to keep me on the right path. The rules make more and more sense as I mature. I needed them in order to stay safe, learn to respect others and have a good life.

Without the rules, and a constant reminder of them, I am sure that I would not have grown up to be the man that I am today. A good parent has the best interest of their children at heart when rules are established.

Bad Rap
God is often viewed as “Mr. No.” When we want to get out and experience some of what life has to offer, it seems that Mr. No has a “thou shalt not” for everything that we want to do.

The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) often get the most attention as Mr. No’s list of don’t do’s. I challenge you to look at each one of the commandments and ask yourself if life would be better for you if you obeyed them.

Just as when children consider their parents’ rules, we may be tempted to believe that God has nothing better to do with His time than make rules and put things in our path (preachers, radio, this blog) to remind us of those rules. We must realize that God is not making rules simply for the sake of making rules, but that he has our best interest in mind. Think about it for a minute. He created the entire universe and has all power, yet He makes up rules just to torment you? How ridiculous is that? He makes the rules because He loves you and wants the best for you.

Ezekiel 18:32 (ESV)

Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV)

-Pastor Aaron
 

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