I was reading a reflection recently and had a bit of an analogy come into my head. First, here is the reflection I was reading:
"Think of a busy street near you. Now imagine that all rules were taken away from driving on that street. No speed limit, no side you are supposed to drive on, anything goes. Can you see all the danger, confusion and harm that would ensue from a no rules, anything goes street?" (Fr. Amsberry, Daily Lenten Reflections, 2009)
I began to wonder if this concept would work with anything in our world. Let's take plants for instance. There are certain 'rules' which must be followed in order for any plant to grow. Plants need soil, water, air, and sunlight in order to grow. But what if I didn't want to follow those rules? I want to feed my plant pig slop or steak. I don't feel like giving it the amount of light the rules require, I'd rather keep it in my closet. Will it grow? "Well, I think it should because I am feeding it and doing what I want with it." I hear people say things like, "Rules are meant to be broken" or "What works for you doesn't necessarily work for me". Our spiritual lives are like that plant. There is a natural order which must be followed in order for it to grow. It's not a "rule"! As Fr. Amsberry writes:
"This is an analogy for our spiritual lives. If we live an amoral life of no rules and anything goes, confusion and harm will be the fruit of it. When we live a life without God, our spirits fail."
So the next time you encounter a 'rule' that you feel is being imposed upon you, do some research. Is it really a rule? Or is it there to help you and bring forth the greatest good for and in you?
God does not impose rules on us to make us miserable. The closer we get to God through relationship with His Son, the more we can begin to see that these originally perceived "rules" are a way of life and we no longer need the "rules" in order to live. Our lives very naturally go that way. When we stop fighting the "rules" we find that following them is very simple. Pray about it. It could make your life a lot easier; actually it will make it easier. It did with mine. Rebelling against the "rules" is more work than what it takes to learn why we have them.
These insights are very much like contemplating COVENANT in both the OT and NT. YHWH gave Moses and Israel the decalogue not to oppress them, but to help them live in Shalom or peace with God, community, family, others and aliens. This is peace horizontal and vertical. The "rules" are there to steer us clear of troubles and to help us attain a happy life.
ReplyDeleteNotice that under Covenant, the year of Jubilee had the lender return property to the family, so they could survive. If you took a guy's cloak you had to give it back at sunset. This was intended to preserve the people and family by ensuring they had land to work.
In romance we need to recognize responsibility to each other, to the community, and to the family of both the man and the woman. Now this is a counter cultural idea in our culture that worships the individual.
The rules of dating and marriage were intended to keep us safe and happy. If we do not damage our souls, we can more easily reach God and place self giving love for other above selfish interest. If we are not engaging in sex outside of marriage we are free from STDss andstressors of broken one flesh relationships and "unwanted" pregnancy. Sex leads to babies and when you do not want to raise a child with a partner or an anonymous partner you are pressureded to seek abortion (murder) to cover acts of fornication. Even Catholics and other Christians have wilted under the stress of an unexpected baby.
God is not trying to deny us pleasure, in fact, God is so full of love that we will NOT be denied any truly good thing. It is paradox that when we deny ourselves in order to live by the will of God, we receive joy and many blessings.