Do not feed the animals....

Ever have one of those random thoughts hit you? Obviously it happens to me all the time, as evidenced by this blog. Well, today the random thought hit me - "Do not feed the animals." Why do we have rules? (Hey, I never said they make sense to begin with!)


Why do we have rules? Well, society would say it is so we can have order...but I'm thinking more along the lines of the kind of rules parents give...that our Heavenly Father gives. 


Rules like "Do not feed the animals." Why do we have that rule - well, obviously to protect us, (and the animals.) If we feed those animals we put ourselves into danger! At first, it seems harmless. You feed them and nothing bad happens. They are cute. We have an adventure. What could be so wrong with that? But we all know it doesn't always end there. We let down our guard. We walk into danger. We think we are okay, but sooner or later someone gets hurt. (Not to mention the damage it does to the animals!)


Life is filled with rules like this....and so is the Bible. 


Many people chafe at the idea of following the rules God gives us thinking it removes their freedom of choice, and they don't see the bigger picture of why that rule is there in the first place. It is there because of His love for us.


Why did I have rules about where my children could go? Why didn't I simply allow them to make their own decisions based on what they "felt"? Because I love them. I didn't just turn a blind eye when they wandered toward the road outside our home. I not only gave rules about how close they could get to that road, but I also took "correction measures" should they decide to ignore that rule. At times it only took a word...other times it took more memorable correction. All because of our love for them.


At times, as my children have gotten older, they have made decisions that "broke the rules." I am thankful that God has protected them from great harm with those decisions...but they suffer the consequences of those decisions all the same. Not from me - from the choice itself! Sometimes they "get it" and finally understand WHY we said no to things. Sometimes they don't....but they are growing and maturing and slowly beginning to understand.


We don't have rules simply to keep order or to keep us from having fun. We have rules because we are loved. May you feel that love today...and please don't "feed the animals."


Hebrews 12: 4-11
 ^4-11In this all-out match against sin, others have suffered far worse than you, to say nothing of what Jesus went through—all that bloodshed! So don't feel sorry for yourselves. Or have you forgotten how good parents treat children, and that God regards you as his children? 

   My dear child, don't shrug off God's discipline, 
      but don't be crushed by it either. 
   It's the child he loves that he disciplines; 
      the child he embraces, he also corrects.
God is educating you; that's why you must never drop out. He's treating you as dear children. This trouble you're in isn't punishment; it's training, the normal experience of children. Only irresponsible parents leave children to fend for themselves. Would you prefer an irresponsible God? We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God's training so we can truly live? While we were children, our parents did what seemed best to them. But God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God's holy best. At the time, discipline isn't much fun. It always feels like it's going against the grain. Later, of course, it pays off handsomely, for it's the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God.


Another version of verse 11:

Hebrews 12:11

New International Version (NIV)

¹¹ No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

They question everything...

As a teacher of middle school students and the mother of two teens, I have noticed something...they question EVERYTHING! I can almost feel all the other teachers and parents out there nodding their heads in agreement. At times it is so exhausting...mainly because there is a fine line between questioning and disrespect, but I think I may have a way to tell the difference.

This blog started the other day when I attended the graduation ceremony of one of our local High Schools. I was so proud of those young men and women that I knew who crossed the stage into the next part of their lives. I wanted to cheer, but they had asked us simply stand in recognition and not "get out of hand". They, of course, did not use that wording, but I think we all understood what was meant. The young man in front of me questioned why they had that rule and I answered the best way I knew how by saying it was so that EVERY parent could hear their child's name when it was called. He didn't agree with the rule, but said he'd take my word for it.

Later on in the ceremony, a few groups, most of whom were NOT teenagers, decided to disregard the request and were escorted out. I had to notice, however, it was not simply that they cheered - but the cheers went on and on and then when the participants sat down you could hear comments from them daring the security to come and tell THEM to move. There it was - the difference. They questioned not because they felt the rule was wrong - they questioned because they didn't want anyone telling them what to do!

At the very end of the ceremony, once hats had been tossed and people were starting to leave, another young man that I know personally celebrated by doing a back flip....and again I was struck with the difference. This young man had obeyed and respected the rules, yet found a way to be uniquely himself in the process simply by waiting until the ceremony was over. I hope I am not the only one that sees the difference.

I, like most parents and teachers, don't want to raise mindless robots who simply obey without thinking. (Behavior like that led to Hitler's rise in power and some of the segregation laws in this country.) I want to raise citizens who THINK and who question when things aren't right. However, in doing this, I am also concerned that we have taught an entire generation to question simply when they don't like the rules because they want things their way...sort of a Burger King generation - have it your way, have it your way. We forget that our rights end where another person's begin.

The Bible talks about this in Proverbs 29:18 - "Without a vision, the people perish." One version says "Without revelation the people cast off restraint." The second part is equally important, "but happy is he who keeps the law." Most versions say "blessed is he who keeps the law." I want my children to be blessed.

So how do I help my children question without being disobedient? Simple - I first teach them God's law. What is that? Well, the ten commandments of course; but since kids have such a short attention span I'll narrow it to the top two - just like Jesus did for us (who also have very short attention spans!) #1 - Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, and spirit. #2 - Love your neighbor as yourself.

Now - look at what you are questioning. Is it something that challenges #1? How about #2? If it's not challenging either of these, then you should obey. You can ask questions, but ask yourself if you are questioning because you don't understand, because it breaks one of the top two, or because you want to have things your way.

I believe this next generation holds greatness in them if they catch the vision that God has for their lives. If not, I'm concerned we'll raise yet another generation that is singing, "It's all about me, it's all about I, it's all about Number One oh my, me my! What I think, what I like, what I know, what I want, what I see." (Paraphrasing Toby Keith's song.)

I believe this generation deserves more. I want to spend my days helping them catch the vision of what God has for them...not simply answering a whole lot of "me" questions.

And at the next graduation, I will follow the rules...and keep my eye out for the kid who does the back flip at the end.